Along for the Ride
by writingisforever
Summary: Max and Fang never payed attention to each other until year six. They become fast friends but there are challenges along the way to test their friendship You'll never know unless you read it and come along for the ride.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- Death by school!

**A/N (This is my very, very, very first fanfic ever,) I know Maximum Ride is based in America but I'm going to set mine in Australia so bear with me for now. I know I've titled it with romance and trust me romance and FAX will come over time.**

Today was the day I was going to die! Most likely not but I was so scared of starting the new school year that I thought I might drop dead from fear. I know everyone gets butterflies, but these were not butterflies, this was a life or death situation. This year was definitely going to be the hardest in a long time. I'll bet you're confused by now, so since I'm nice I'll fill you in on my nightmare, welcome one and all.

My name is Maximum Martinez and I'm eleven years old. Since I started at this school in year one I've known my friendship group and we were really close… at least I thought we were. At the end of last year my 'oh so wonderful BFF' decided that she couldn't be my friend anymore and neither could my other best friend, I felt so loved. Anyway that happened at the end of last year and we didn't hang out with anyone else so I didn't know what I was going to do this year, I couldn't imagine being able to trust again.

"Are you sure I can't be home schooled this year?" I begged mum for the last time as I jumped out of the car.

"Honey, you can't give Casey this kind of power over you," Mum said to me in that I am the wise Mummy and I know everything tone.

"Ok well I hope you give me a nice funeral," I groaned.

"Cheer up sis," Ella smiled at me.

"Easy for you to say, you have your friends and you always will," I sighed.

I walked to class shaking the whole time. I avoided Casey and Sally the whole time but I kept a constant look out for them and for 'duck and cover spaces'. Finally God decided to like me and he made the bell ring. I hung up my bag and walked into class, I saw Nick Ride walk past me. His shoulder bumped mine.

"Oh, you again," I noticed, not meanly not happily I don't think I had any emotion. I walked past him and into the room where I realised that God still hated me. How did I know this? You may ask, well maybe because I saw Casey and Sally sitting in the class room, some how I didn't think this was a blessing.

Sally gave me a slight smile but Casey glared at me. Nick looked between us a little surprised. Nick was in my class last year but we never talked, well maybe the occasional hi and that but never a real proper conversation. He probably didn't know everything that happened last year. I noticed a new girl walk in, she sat next to me and I thought maybe I didn't have to be alone anymore. She had orange hair and seemed really quiet.

"Hi, I'm Max," I smiled at her.

"I'm Sophie," she replied quietly.

"What year are you in?" I asked her, desperate to make conversation.

"Seven,"

"Cool, I'm in year six, I'll be twelve in September," I continued. I saw Nick look back over at me with his dark eyes. I had a strange feeling that this year would change my life… forever!

**A/N: Ok so let me know what you think please! I know it's short but I think it needs to be, don't forget to review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – Neublet**

Recess today was torture with a capital torture. I had Sophie to hang around with at least, thank god. Maybe he didn't totally hate me… maybe he just liked to pick on me. Sophie was pretty quiet though, I'm pretty sure she'll start talking when she gets to know me better though… probably... maybe… possibly.

I saw Nick around a couple of times; I don't know why I was noticing but suddenly I was. Casey was shooting me some weird looks, well not so weird anymore, it's been two months and it still killed me inside. For an eleven year old I have a lot of drama.

"Why does that girl keep looking at you like that?" Sophie asked me after noticing Casey's looks.

"We used to be friends," I explained.

"What happened?" Sophie asked curiously.

"I don't really know, she just decided last year that she didn't want me to be her friend anymore," I shrugged. I didn't want to go into all of the details. I know I said I wanted Sophie to talk but I was hoping that she wouldn't ask any more questions about Casey.

"Max!" I heard a friendly voice yell.

"Nudge!" I squealed as she practically tackled me.

"How were your holidays?" She demanded.

"Same old, stuck in the house," I moaned.

"Oh that sucks, well I had heaps of fun this hols, I went out with mum a lot and I talked on the phone and I had sleep overs and ate lots of cheese, did you know I like cheese, well if you didn't I like cheese," Nudge rambled.

"Nudge!" I shouted at her and she shut up (surprise, surprise) I normally would just tune Nudge out but I think she was scaring Sophie.

"Sorry, I'm just so excited to be back at school," Nudge grinned.

I hadn't really spoken to Nudge a lot lately, listened a lot but you get what I mean. She popped up to say hi every once in a while, but I had always been so busy with Casey and Sally, look how well that turned out. We'd been really close when we were younger and played netball together but we never hung out in school.

"Ok well I'm going to go now," Nudge replied and in a flash she was gone.

"She's scary," Sophie stated.

"Who, Nudge? Nah she's harmless," I smiled.

"Hey, Neublet," I heard a voice say from behind me. I spun around to come face to face with Nick.

"Huh?" I asked him. I had no idea what a neublet was or why he was calling me it. He gave me a cheeky grin and ran off.

"What was that all about?" Sophie asked me.

"I don't know," I shrugged. I pretended like I didn't care but I was being consumed by the curiosity inside of me by the second.

The rest of recess I was really out of it, I suppose that was because I couldn't get Nick's weird thing out of my head. By the time the bell rang I had finally managed to let my curiosity go. I put my hat in my bag and walked back into class. Nick walked in behind me and ducked down to me.

"Hey, Neublet," he greeted me.

"What is up with that?" I demanded.

"That's for me to know," He grinned.

"And for me to find out?" I guessed.

"Not necessarily," Nick smirked and walked off.

"Is he a friend of yours?" Sophie inquired to me.

"Um, not really a friend, I don't know him all that well. We were in the same class last year, he must be bored or something," I answered her. Why was Nick Ride suddenly talking to me? Why was he calling me a neublet? What was a neublet? How am I a neublet? Would these questions ever leave me alone? I don't think so since for the rest of the day they circled around my head over and over and yep you guessed it and over again.

Finally I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Nick, why are you calling me a neublet?" I demanded.

"Curiosity killed the cat," was his response.

"Ok, so you're calling me a neublet because your curious cat died?" I asked. I was officially weirded out by now.

"No," He replied and turned away and went back to talking to his friends. I wanted to scream at him, I hated it when people kept things from me and I couldn't convince them to tell me.

It was going to be a very, very long year. See I told you God hates me.

**So what did you think? Tell me in a review**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – The Week of Torture**

The rest of the week was torture. Every single time Nick saw me he'd always say 'hey neublet' and I'm not afraid to say that it was driving me crazy! Not only did he refuse to tell me what it meant, he refused to tell me why he was calling me it! It's so annoying, I'm thinking about him all the time, wondering why he chose me to annoy.

"Morning class," Mrs. Overwood greeted us on Monday morning. There was something in the tone of her voice that sent shivers down my spine.

"Now I know that we've only been back at school for a week, but this weeks' assembly is about co-operation so I think we should do I little skit," She suggested. I think I felt a smile crawl across my face, I loved acting but almost as soon as the smile came, it left.

"So I've planned a Bob the Builder play," She announced. I tried to stop my eyes from opening wide.

"I thought it would be a good thing to show cooperation," She continued.

I couldn't believe it, we were a year six to seven class not ages six to seven.

"I need volunteers," Ms. Overwood chimed. _'Please don't pick me, please don't pick me'_ I couldn't help thinking to myself. I didn't want to be known for playing someone in Bob the Builder, which was the kind of reputation that I would never live down… ever.

Eventually she chose Evan for Bob, Ally for Wendy and Nick for Spud the scarecrow (sucked in). The look of horror on his face was so priceless worth it though. I couldn't help giggling.

"Shut up, Neublet," He smirked.

"Ok that is getting really annoying. Seriously what does it mean?" I demanded.

"Ask, David," Nick shrugged.

"Can't you just tell me?" I whined.

"No," was all he replied.

I literally counted down the minutes until recess where I could go and find David, I was so desperate it wasn't funny, for a whole week Nick had tormented me and I was finally going to be finding out how.

Ninety minutes left until recess.

"Are you ok, you so jumpy, you're starting to act like Nudge?" Sophie asked me.

"Oh god, am I that bad?" I asked horrified.

"Yeah," Sophie mumbled. Sophie had only met Nudge a couple of times and she already figured out that Nudge never ran out of energy. Sophie was beginning to talk more and I know that I've only known her for a week but still something was missing, I liked talking to her and everything but I don't know.

The ninety minutes ticked down to nothing and I was finally free. I rushed outside and saw the person I was looking for.

"David!" I yelled as I ran towards him.

"Why is Nick calling me a Neublet?" I demanded.

"Huh?" David questioned.

"He told me to ask you what it meant," I explained.

"Oh, it the girl version on a neub," David explained casually.

"What? That horrible excuse for a human being has been calling me a neub without my knowledge!" I exclaimed.

"Well I never thought about it like that, but, yeah," David shrugged. I stormed off to go and find Nick.

"Now where are we going?" Sophie asked.

"To go kill Nick," I growled.

"Ooh, fun," Sophie replied sarcastically. I searched everywhere for Nick and I finally found him… by the basketball ring awaiting his death.

"Nick!" I yelled. I swear his face went white and Nick has dark skin.

"You spoke to David," He guessed.

"Yes and mark my words I will pay you back for this," I threatened him and stormed off.

"Max!" Ella yelled.

"Yeah," I replied.

"What's going on between you and that boy?" Ella asked me.

"Oh that's just Nick, Nick who will die if I have anything to say about it," I replied with a smile.

"Oh, is that the Nick who's been picking on you?" Ella asked.

"Yes," I growled through gritted teeth.

"Oh, well consider yourself lucky, he's cute," Ella smiled and turned around before I could punish her.

I was so going to get Nick back for his name calling but that would have to wait until I could think of a name for him and it was going to stick. If it was the last thing I would do I would get revenge on him.

**A/N Yeah, Nick is so mean but we love him. I've had a comment saying how weird it is that they are eleven and I get that but I'm not going to keep them eleven forever. If you've read High School Ride I'm doing what that person did in the sense that they will age. This is kind of based on me and my own best friend and we started talking when we were eleven so that's why I've started it here. Tell me what you think in a review. Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4-

That night I sat at home doing my homework.

"Honey, is everything ok?" Mum asked me.

"Yes of course why wouldn't it be?" I answered her probably doing homework.

"You're doing Maths, which is one of your best subjects and you put down six plus two equals ten," Mum pointed out.

"I'm trying to figure out how to get revenge on Nick," I responded to her.

"Ah, the boy Ella was telling me about," Mum thought aloud.

"Yeah that would be him," I mumbled.

"Max, you know I don't want you dating," Mum warned me.

"Mum, eww and I don't want to date him, I want to torture him," I insisted. I wasn't lying I didn't want to date Nick, I barely knew Nick but I had a need to get revenge on him, and believe me I was going to get it even if it killed me.

I felt lonely and I couldn't get Nick out of my head although I was looking forward to seeing him being Spud the Scarecrow. Unfortunately I had to be in the skit as well but I was a pyramid. You see Ms. Overwood thought that we should make human pyramids in a line and Spud the Scarecrow should knock us down and then Bob would come and fix us. How this showed cooperation skills I have no idea, I know that it showed humiliation that was for sure, but then again I wasn't gong to have to pretend to be a scarecrow with a pumpkin for a head. Maybe I should just call him spud, hmm that could work but then again I liked spuds as in the potatoes and just like that I was back to square one.

"Hey, sis, what are you doing?" Ella asked as she bounced into my room.

"Nothing much," I shrugged.

"Still stuck on how to get revenge on Fang?" She asked me. I nodded silently.

"I know that I'm only nine but if there's one thing I've noticed, is that you're happier this year," Ella commented. I looked up at her in surprise.

"Ella, I've only been at school for a week," I pointed out to her.

"Listen, you came home in tears practically every single day last year and now you're happy, I mean everyday you're distracted by Nick and you haven't been thinking about Casey," Ella explained. She gave me a hug and walked out.

Was it true? Was I happier when because I was distracted by Nick? If it was true what did that mean? Why do I constantly bug my brain with these annoying questions?

I saw Nudge the next day talking to a boy I didn't recognise. Sophie wasn't there yet so I decided I should go and talk to Nudge.

"Hi, Nudge," I called out.

"Oh my god, hi, Max!" She exclaimed.

"Max, this is Ethan," She introduced to me to the boy. He looked about Nudge's age; he was about her height with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Ethan, this is my friend Max,"

I smiled at him and he smiled back.

"He's just starting school today and he's in my class, well I mean he's started school before but not at this school, it's his first day at this school," Nudge clarified.

"Got it," I assured her.

I sniffed the air and tried my hardest not to fall over gagging.

"What is that smell?" I demanded.

"No idea," Ethan said. I wanted to believe him but that was a sheepish, on the other hand though that smell was not natural!

"Oh hey, look Ian's back," Nudge told me. I turned around to see Ian walking with Nick.

"Wasn't he on some sort of holiday?" I asked even though I knew the answer, in fact I had asked Nick last week but I was not I repeat not about to admit that.

"Yeah, to um LA I think," Nudge replied trying to remember.

"I still don't understand why everyone calls him Iggy," I scoffed.

"I know, it's so weird," Nudge agreed.

"Well people call you Nudge," Ethan shrugged. I laughed and walked over to class. I was not about to be late, the bell means that you walk to class immediately!

"Hi, Max," Iggy called to me. It was so odd, Iggy never spoke to me… ever but then again neither did Nick before this year.

"Um, hi," I replied awkwardly.

"Have I missed anything important?" He asked me.

"Why don't you ask Nick?" I asked him.

"Well I did and something is definitely up with him," Iggy nodded.

"Huh?"

"Oh he said about how he was picking on you and as he was talking about it he smiled," Iggy explained as if this was world breaking news.

"He's been smiling at me before," I pointed out.

"Holy, crap!" He exclaimed.

"What?" I asked him, Iggy wasn't making any sense at all.

"Nick never smiles," Iggy told me.

"Well he smiled at me a few times, I mean they were kind of half smiles but still," I argued with him.

"Well lets just say it's unusual to see Nick smile," Iggy explained.

Now that Iggy had mentioned it I realised that I could count on two hands the amount of times that I had seen Mr. Dark and moody smile. So why did he smile at me and when he was telling Iggy about me? And once again why was I bugging my mind with annoying questions? Why were all of these annoying questions about Nick? Why can't I shut up? Why am I sounding like Nudge?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Fang

"Now class after you get back from PE we'll practise our cooperation skit," Ms. Overwood announced maybe a bit too cheerfully. I couldn't wait for PE we'd been told we were playing basketball which I L.O.V.E.

Sophie finally arrived, which was just as well since we needed a partner to throw the ball to. We ended up standing next to Nick and Iggy, I liked Iggy he seemed nice but Nick drove me insane. Sophie threw the ball really softly and I was starting to get bored. It didn't take a genius to figure out that sport was not Sophie's thing.

"Still stuck on the revenge thing?" Nick asked me. I just stuck my tongue out at him. Iggy threw the ball at him and of course Nick missed it.

"Klutz," I called out to him.

"Dude, if you stopped staring at her then maybe you could catch the damn ball!" Iggy laughed.

"I wasn't staring at her!" Nick snapped. He looked horrified.

"Then catch the freaking ball," Iggy teased.

I caught myself smiling and immediately told myself off nothing about that was funny. I got split up from Sophie and got placed on the same team as Nick how lucky.

When PE ended our PE teacher Mr Ellis called me back.

"Yes sir?" I asked him.

"Oh I just wanted to say that you did really well today, you and Nick make a great team," He complimented me.

"We do?" I questioned him.

"Yeah, I'm assuming you two are close?" Mr. Ellis guessed. I didn't blame him he had only been teaching at the school for a year.

"No, not really," I corrected him.

"Well, you could've fooled me… which you did anyways so yeah you fooled me," He smiled at me although he seemed stumped by his own question.

I walked back to class puzzled. How could anyone think that Nick and I were really close? Hey only one question this time, I must be improving.

"So what did Mr. Ellis want?" Nick asked me as we walked back to the gym. I really don't know why Ms. Overwood didn't just meet us at the gym instead of making us walk back to class and then walking back to the gym.

"Um why are you asking?" I questioned him.

"Maybe because I want to know," Nick replied.

"Why?" I demanded.

"Did I do something?" Nick asked me. I looked at him and saw the hurt in his dark eyes.

"I don't know," I answered and walked off.

"Max!" He called after me but I ignored him and kept going. Why? I don't know so don't judge me. I don't even know why I was so confused. Nick and I did get along in fact I don't think I hated him or disliked him. I didn't know what he was to me.

The only problem was the more I spoke to him the more I wanted to pull away and I didn't know why, I was scared of talking to him which is just silly… right?

I was quiet and obeyed my duty as a pyramid base, even with Anne's knee digging into my back. Nick didn't look at me; I didn't know what I was supposed to do. We weren't friends he just picked on me. We were forced to practise over and over again, yay lucky us.

But God must love someone because mercifully the school bell rang. Sophie and I walked past Nick and Iggy who were on the outside basketball courts.

"Hey, Max!" Iggy called out.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"If you can shoot the goal I'll buy you a slush puppy," Iggy dared me.

"Hmm," I thought.

"With Nick's money," Iggy finished.

"Deal," I said and we shook hands. If looks could kill, Nick would be facing a murder trial for the murder of Iggy.

"You're so dead," Nick threatened him.

"No I'm not I'm very much alive," Iggy smirked. I couldn't help but laugh.

I took the ball and bounced it twice. I stopped and looked up at the goal, I bounced it again and finally took my shot and because I'm just that good it went straight into the net.

"Nice shot," Iggy complimented me.

"Ooh are we playing basketball?" Nudge asked as she literally bounced towards us along with Ethan.

"Um, I don't think so Nudge," I answered her. Her face fell.

"You know, Monique, Nick and I are playing if you want to join, Max is too chicken," Iggy teased.

"Max isn't afraid of anything," Nudge defended me.

"Then maybe she should prove it," Nick dared her.

"She will," Nudge insisted taking a step towards him.

"Fine boys verse girls," Nick accepted smugly.

"You're on," Nudge agreed.

"Um excuse me do I get a say in this?" I asked.

"No!" Nick and Nudge replied in unison.

Well since I didn't have a choice I ended up playing basketball with them. Nick and I were against each other most of the time; I think we had a need to beat each other up.

At one stage I put my arm out to stop the ball from getting to Nick and a sharp pain shot through my arm.

"Ow!" I screamed.

"What?" Iggy, Nudge and Ethan all asked me at once.

"Nick bit me!" I growled.

"You bit her!" Sophie exclaimed.

"It was an accident," Nick replied innocently.

"Oh, please, you stuck your big goober fangs into my skin," I snapped.

"It was an accident," He insisted.

"What part? Your cannibalism? Or hurting me?" I demanded.

"The hurting you part?" He mumbled.

"You bit her on purpose?" Ethan asked.

"Dude!" Iggy exclaimed and put his hand up for a high five.

Nudge shot him a death glare and he backed off.

I enjoyed my slush puppy that Iggy bought for me and I enjoyed Nick's silence. Finally the day came to an end and I saw Nick walking to his car.

"See you tomorrow, Fang," I called out.

"Aw come on," He whined. Hey I just found my revenge. Mwahaha.

**A/N So Fang finally shows up hehehe I took my time. Anyways tell me what you think in a review, I like reviews **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6- The truth about

**A/N heyo, it me again. **

**Fang: And me.**

**Me: What are you doing here?**

**Fang: I needed to make sure you were telling the story right.**

**Me: Thanks for the confidence boost**

**Fang: You're welcome. Anyways I think you should write it in all of our opinions not just Max's I mean she's great but she's not always right so our readers may get the wrong idea just saying.**

**Max: I heard that.**

**Me: Well while Fang argues with Max I may as well update for all the rest of you and I just might take Fangs advice. Or maybe not what do you think?**

**Fang: Tell her in a review.**

So I had finally done it, I finally came up with a name for Fang. I arrived at the car with a huge grin on my face.

"Why are you so happy?" Mum and Ella asked me.

"Is it a crime?" I asked back.

"Normally you're all doom and gloom," Ella pointed out. I glared at her but was caught by mum.

"Max," Mum warned me.

"Anyways I finally got my revenge on Nick," I told Ella.

"Oooh how? How? How? How?" Ella quizzed me.

"I'm calling him Fang," I smirked.

"Why?" Ella asked me.

"He bit me," I replied bluntly.

"What boy is biting my daughter?" Mum asked she was obviously listening.

"Just Fang," I told her.

I ended up having to tell the whole slush puppy basketball story which took a while.

"Why didn't you just say that he bit you when you were playing basketball?" Mum asked when I finished.

"I did, but you kept giving me weird looks," I pointed out to her. She was always nagging on me how I always told the long story instead of the short version. It's like she thought I was Nudge or something.

When I woke up the next morning, I discovered that mum had woken Ella and I up a half hour earlier than necessary and believe me I was not happy about that.

"I'm sorry, honey, but work called I need to go in early today," Mum explained.

"So you're going to drop us off early?" I asked.

"No, I would if I could, but you need to either walk or catch the bus," Mum told us.

"Yay, Amy catches the bus," Ella squealed.

"My bus ticket ran out," I protested.

"There's a new one on the counter," Mum informed me. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and left.

I finished getting ready, grumbling the whole time.

"Ella, are you ready to go?" I called out.

"Yeah, just a second," Ella called back. When she finally came out of her room and left the house, I was finally able to lock up the house. None of my friends caught the bus… oh wait what friends. Nudge didn't bus, and I didn't know what to call Iggy or Fang, they didn't catch the bus anyway.

The bus pulled up and I was surprised yet grateful to see Ethan there.

He nodded at me with a smile and I went to sit next to him.

"Hey, Ethan," I greeted him.

"Hey, Max," He replied.

"I didn't know that you bussed," I commented.

"Well now you do, I haven't seen you on the bus before," Ethan grinned.

"Mum had to go to work early," I explained.

"Can I ask you something?" Ethan asked me.

"Yeah, shoot," I nodded.

"I don't have a gun, but anyways why does everyone call Monique 'Nudge'?" He asked me.

No one had asked me that before so I had to think back a few years.

"Um, well you know how she never shuts up? A few years ago every time she started talking about random crap someone would give her a nudge in the sides, eventually it became a thing and every time she started talking we yelled out 'nudge' eventually it became her nickname and now everyone calls her it," I explained.

"Oh ok, I thought her real name was Nudge, I got confused when I couldn't figure out who Monique was," Ethan confessed.

"You're so weird," I laughed.

"I know right, I mean who calls their kid Nudge? I just kept imagining on her wedding day, 'do you Nudge take Shove to be your husband'?" Ethan laughed.

By the time we got to school Iggy seemed to be lying in wait for me.

"Hey, Max, do you want to come and play basketball again at recess and lunch?" Iggy requested.

"I guess so," I shrugged. Just then Nick walked up.

"Hey, Fang," I grinned.

"Aww come one," He whined.

"It's called karma," I smirked.

"What did I do?" He asked, stupid boy.

"Well first you called me a neublet, then you wouldn't tell me what it meant, then you bit me!" I listed.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry," He apologised.

"Ok," I shrugged.

"Am I off the hook?" He asked.

"I'll decide later," I replied and walked over to Sophie. This was going to be so much fun.

**Me: Mwahaha**

**Fang: Why do you have to be so mean to me?**

**Me: you're based on my best friend and he always used to pick on me**

**Fang: There's a whole lot more torture to come isn't there.**

**Me: Hell yeah!**

**Fang: I'm gonna die here**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7-

By the time Friday had come, I had been hanging out with Iggy and Fang everyday. I'd even sat with them in class a couple of times. I guess I was starting to call them friends, I know I was enjoying hanging out with him… I mean them. Sophie was still hanging around but something was off about her.

Today was the day that we had to do our play on humiliation… I mean cooperation. I burst into hysterics at the sight of Fang when he walked into the gym. He had straw coming out of his jumper and out of his sleeves, he was wearing a big straw hat and had straw coming out of that as well. The yellow straw was contrast to his dark hair. I didn't call Fang Nick anymore, he was simply Fang, plus it annoyed the crap out of him.

"You look like a scarecrow!" Iggy exclaimed in hysterics.

"I'm supposed to," Fang grumbled.

"Well you um, certainly look the part," I assured him trying to contain my laughter.

"Would the both of you shut up," Fang snapped.

"There, there, Spud," I soothed him.

"Maybe you should've called him Spud," Iggy suggested.

"Nah, Fang suits him better, just be careful of the sunlight," I winked at him.

"I cannot catch a break," Fang muttered to himself.

"You chose the wrong girl mate," Iggy laughed. I looked at him with question in my eyes.

"I mean the wrong girl to pick on," Iggy corrected him.

"Ok then you freaked me out for a minute, I thought that you thought that Fang and I were together," I told him.

"Noway! I know you guys aren't like that," Iggy laughed.

Sophie wasn't here today so I was mainly sticking around Fang and Iggy. It was weird, I mean I'd hung out with boys before but that was if I was playing football or something like that. I never really hung out with them to talk like friends or anything.

Were Fang and Iggy my friends or just people to pass the time? Am I really going to start asking these questions again? If I didn't watch it I was going to start hearing voices in my head, won't that be fun.

Finally the play was over but I ended up sitting with Fang for the rest of the assembly since Iggy was working with the sound and music and all that sort of stuff. I realised that I was sitting next to Fang by choice and I suddenly had a little melt down in my mind.

"Max, are you ok?" Fang asked me. Why was he asking? Why did he care?

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied and moved away from him slightly.

"I promise I'm not going to bite you again," Fang promised me.

"Ok then, it's good to know that you really aren't a vampire," I joked weakly. Fang stuck his tongue out at me and went back into dark a brooding silence.

There was something about him. I think people didn't see the real Fang, I almost thought that Fang didn't want anyone to see the real him. He was bizarre and really complex. I didn't even know him all that well and yet I knew he was a closed up book.

"Ok, I know something's puzzling you," Fang noticed. Instantly my guard went up.

"How would you know? You don't even know me!" I snapped. We were silent for the rest of the assembly, well we were supposed to be anyways but this was an extremely awkward silence.

At lunch we were playing basketball but Fang and I weren't having as much fun as usual but I don't think that was noticed since Nudge wouldn't shut up. I was enjoying having Nudge around again, we'd strayed when I'd hung out with Casey and Sally.

I knew Fang was avoiding me and for some reason that kind of hurt.

"Ok, you're driving me crazy, what's up with you?" I demanded of Fang.

"I could say the same thing to you," Fang snapped.

"Hey! What did I do?" I demanded.

"Are you really that naïve?" Fang asked me. By now everyone had stopped playing basketball and was looking at the two of us.

"I have no idea what you are talking about?" I asked him.

"You start talking and then the next thing I know you're mad at me for nothing!" Fang explained.

"I do not!" I insisted.

"Do too," He argued.

"Alright guys, that's enough," Iggy interrupted.

"If you want to argue, go over there and let us continue with out game," Ethan instructed us.

"Why do you even care if I'm angry at you?" I asked Fang.

"Because I know I'm not who you're mad at," He answered maybe a little too quickly.

"How would you know that?" I demanded. I don't know why but I was constantly defending myself against Fang and he was right I wasn't mad at him.

"I don't know," Fang muttered.

"I'm sorry," I sighed.

"I don't know why I'm snapping but I'm sorry," I gazed my eyes down.

"Well it's alright I guess, I'm sorry, I let my temper get the better of me sometimes," Fang mumbled.

I had a strange feeling about Fang from that moment on, it was weird I felt like we'd been talking for a lot longer than two weeks. But we weren't friends we just played basketball together and talked. We had our friendly moments but I still made it a point to pick on him. If Fang and I weren't friends why did I think about him so much?

**A/N hang in there the romance stuff will come but it won't be instant.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 –

**A/N ok it's chapter 8 and has no-one noticed that Angel isn't here?**

**Fang: Actually where is Angel**

**Me: She'll pop up in this chapter.**

**Fang: How?**

**Me: That's for me to know.**

**Fang: Aren't I your co-writer.**

**Me: No**

**Fang: Then why am I here.**

**Me: I don't know. Anyways on with the story.**

**Fang: We'll discuss this later.**

As the weeks went by Fang and I were talking more and getting to know each other a bit better. Sophie and I still weren't super close which was kind of annoying that I spoke to Fang more than her. When I spoke about Fang at home I'd started calling him my friend and I realised that I enjoyed him as a friend. He was funny and fun to talk to. He was still really closed off but I knew that somewhere in that emotionless rock was a deeper story.

There was one problem with Fang and I becoming friends so quickly, well actually two problems:

Problem 1: Fang hates me.

Problem 2: people were starting to think we were dating or that we liked each other, which we aren't and don't.

I wanted to tell Fang that I cared but he was always making it known that he hated me. I had pretty much figured out that I was just someone for Fang to pick on. I mean we sat next to each other on the floor in class but he's never once called me his friend.

"Max, is it true?" Sally called from behind me.

"Huh?" I asked her. I was confused because Sally hadn't spoken to me for about five weeks and now she was asking a random question.

"That you and Nick are going out?" She clarified.

"We're not going out," I answered her.

"Well is it true that you like him?" She asked.

"No I don't and why do you care?" I replied I was starting to get a little frustrated.

"Huh?" Sally asked me.

"What makes you think that you can ditch me then demand information?" I snapped.

"I didn't ditch you, Casey did," Sally reminded me.

"You didn't exactly stick around, you just followed her," I reminded her.

"I know," Sally sighed.

"I'm sorry," she continued.

"Ok," I replied gloomily.

"So, does Nick like you?" Sally asked.

"He hates my guts," I laughed.

"I see him as a friend but he doesn't see me that way," I shrugged, trying to pretend like it didn't bother me.

"Oh I don't know," Sally shrugged.

"Think what you want but I doubt what you think is the truth since it's what you think and not what you know," I told her.

"I see your logic or your arguments haven't improved," Sally laughed. I poked my tongue out at her and walked into class.

Finally the end of the day bell rang with the sound of my freedom. I finally bet Fang out of class and got to our bags quicker. Yay me! Fang followed me and I heard someone call out,

"Nicky!" I turned around and saw the cutest little blonde girl with sparkling blue eyes looking right at Fang.

"Hello princess," He smiled and he hoisted her up in his arms.

"Aw," I cooed sweetly and for once I wasn't making fun of him.

"Who's this?" I asked him.

"Max, this is my little sister Angel, Angel, this is Max," Fang introduced us.

Angel waved at me and then stuck her fingers in her mouth.

"Mum can you come and take her?" Fang asked the woman who was sitting down.

"Sure, who is this?" She asked gesturing towards me.

"Mum, this is Max, Max this is my mum," Fang introduced the two of us.

"Hi, Max, you can call me Jane," His mum smiled at me.

"Yeah, well we should get going, I'll see you tomorrow, Max," Fang waved to me.

"Um, ok bye," I replied bluntly.

"Oh yeah, he really hates you," Sally replied sarcastically.

"Shut up, Sal," I laughed.

I walked across the grass and Nudge called out to me.

"Max!"

"What's up?" I asked her.

"I saw you talking to Sally," Nudge informed me.

"Yeah?" I replied. I was kind of confused, I didn't know where she was going but I knew that she was going somewhere.

"Are the two of you friends again?" She asked me, unless I'm wrong which I'm not a lot I detected a hint of worry in her quiet voice.

"I don't know," I shrugged.

I seriously thought that hell froze over because Nudge was silent.

"Nudge?" I asked cautiously just to make sure she wasn't dead or anything.

"Are you going to start hanging out with her and ditch the rest of us?" She asked in like a really quick voice, luckily I'm used to it and actually caught it.

"No," I replied firmly. Her face allowed a weak smile to show through.

"Nudge, you guys are my friends now, and I'm sticking with you, no screaming and yelling," I assured her.

"Except with Fang," She muttered.

"Yeah well that's different," I laughed.

"Ok well I just wanted to make sure," She grinned.

Nudge gave me a hug and walked off to her mum's car. I knew I had to admit it sometime. I was happier with my new friends, I did like this more. I was the happiest I'd been in a while… except for Fang!


	9. Chapter 9

Chap 9- Rumours

**A/N**

**Me: Hi I know I haven't updated in a few days.**

**Fang: Mainly because she's lazy.**

**Me: No, I went to update and I couldn't upload it and then I went away where there was no internet.**

**Fang: She was too lazy to go somewhere with internet.**

**Me: Shut up Fang. Seriously girls I don't know what you see in him, (mainly talking to mymortalromances) he's a total pain in the arse. Now before he can comment again I'll let you lot read.**

It had been a few weeks and I was talking to Sally more and more. I was even talking to Casey on the odd occasion. It turned out that Fang's birthday was the day before and I only found out via Iggy, which is only more proof that I'm not Fang's friend. I wished him a happy birthday and he thanked me although I did make a point of pointing out to him that I am older, I always will be older and I will be able to drive before him, ha, ha.

Ms. Overwood had been getting us to do a lot of skipping since a charity that revolved around skipping or jump rope was coming and trying to raise money like charities do. It was funny to watch Fang trip over the rope over and over and over again. Iggy was pretty good so we were having competitions between the two of us.

"Show offs," Fang grumbled.

"You're just jealous," I teased him.

"I hate you," He growled.

"I hate you more," I smirked. It seemed to be a game we played lately, we raved on about how much we hated each other when secretly I was thinking, I don't hate you, you're my friend and I wish you would stop hating me!

"When are you guys going to admit that you don't hate each other?" Iggy asked.

"Never!" Fang and I exclaimed.

"Well you two aren't dating are you?" Iggy asked suddenly.

"What?" Fang and I yelled.

"Believe me there's been a lot and I mean a lot of talk," Iggy informed us.

"Well we aren't like that," Fang replied firmly.

"Would you guys be quiet you're going to get us into trouble," I whined.

"Max, stop being such a goody, goody," Iggy teased me.

"There are rules so that we can follow them!" I argued.

"No rules are there so you can break them, the trick is to not get caught," Fang laughed.

I couldn't understand where these guys were coming from, how hard was it to follow the rules and just do what you're told to do. How hard is it to be innocent, I concluded that it must be a guy thing.

"Fine, we'll see who's laughing in 10 years," I dared them.

"Well it won't be you because you're too uptight, do you even know how to have fun?" Iggy told me. I know he was probably joking but that comment really and I mean stung, like a lot.

I couldn't say anything I just turned around and went to jump rope on my own.

At lunch I didn't show up for basketball I just wondered around the school on my own, Sophie hadn't been showing up for school lately and I didn't want to be around Iggy or Fang. Maybe I had overreacted but that comment really hurt, my whole life I'd been picked on for being smart and following the rules and now I have the whole Fang thing to worry about. No it's not the friendship thing I have to worry about it's all the rumours going around school I mean we hang out so what? Everyone in our class thinks we're either dating or that we like each other, which will never ever happen… ever. Get my point.

I wanted to do something crazy but I know my mum, she'd be so disappointed in fact so would the teachers and blah, blah I think I made the mistake of having the reputation of the good girl. It never seemed like a bad thing until Sally and Casey showed interest in growing up and not becoming wild or anything but just loosening up a little bit. I was different I liked security, and I liked boundaries.

"Max!" I heard Fang call out to me.

"Hmm?" I managed to get out.

"We're sorry," I he puffed, he'd obviously had been running trying to find me.

"About what?" I asked.

"For making fun of you it was wrong," Fang apologised.

"Ok," I muttered.

"Will you please come play elimination with us now, there's no one to ditch the ball at me and no one to almost rip my head off," Fang begged. I couldn't help but smile and it wasn't fair I was supposed to mope and he wasn't helping with that goal.

"Alright, but I get to ditch the ball as hard as I can," I negotiated.

"Don't you always?" Fang asked.

"No where close," I chuckled. I laughed when I saw Fangs tanned face turn pale.

"Oh, shit," He mumbled. I glared at him for swearing.

"Sorry, it's a habit," He apologised.

"Alright," I sighed.

"I know Iggy can be a jerk sometimes but he's a good guy underneath," Fang assured me.

"I know it's just…" I began.

"What?" He asked me.

"Nothing it's not important," I smiled.

"Aw look at the happy couple," A girl from our class Brianna called.

"Ignore her," I muttered to Fang who got a dark look over his eyes. I swear I hear him say something under his breath but I chose to ignore it.

"It'll blow over in a bit," I assured him.

"If you say so," Fang grumbled.

"I say so," I insisted when we finally reached the basketball court.

"Max, I'm really, really sorry for what I said to you," Iggy apologised to me.

"It's alright," I assured him with a smiled.

"Good, so have your shot already," Ethan instructed me as he threw me the ball. I stood behind the white line and bounced it a couple of times and took the shot. It went straight through the net.

"Damn it, you're right behind me," Iggy mumbled.

"It's called karma Iggy," Nudge laughed at him.

I felt really weird, I always hung out with people who behaved the same way I did when it came to rules and school but we were all a different people here. I was the rule follower, Iggy was well the full of himself but kinda nice guy, Ethan was really sweet, Nudge never ever shut up and then there was Fang, the dark and brooding one, I knew there was more to Fang but I didn't know what but I had a feeling Fang would be around me for a while, in fact I had a good feeling about all my new friends. I finally felt like I belonged somewhere.

Nothing could be perfect of course, I didn't know for sure if Fang liked me as a friend and of course people wouldn't shut up any time they saw us together. Why do I always get myself into these situations where things can get really awkward? Why did I dwell on things two much? Why couldn't I just go with the flow?

**A/N heyo it's me, I know boring right. LOL. I've had some people say that they think it's weird that they start off young, but I do have me reasons. If you want to know what they are keep reading. In the books Fang and Max already had a solid friendship but I'm building that up and these events are based on me and my best friend and we became friends when we were 11 and became really tight. So I'm not trying to weird it out or anything, I'm just starting it somewhere else.**

**Fang: She's still weird though.**

**Me: Shut up, Fang.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chap 10 -

Ok it gets really annoying when you're going to school and all anyone can ask you is if you and your friend are dating or if you like each other. I can't even count the amount of times I've said no we're just friends. Or he hates my guts but if I got paid for every time I used those lines I'd be so rich I wouldn't have to go crying to Daddy anymore.

Fang seemed to be in a bit of a mood when he arrived at school and by a mood I mean he looked kind of angry. He stormed straight passed me to hang his bag up.

"Iggy, what's up with Fang?" I asked Iggy.

"I don't know, Max, in fact whenever Fang is in one of these moods no-one knows what's going on, he just gets angry," Iggy replied with a sigh. I thought for a minute then turned to walk over to Fang.

"Max, I wouldn't you don't know what he's like in these moods," Iggy warned me. I ignored him and continued to walk over to the boy who seemed so dark and angry.

"Fang, are you ok?" I asked him as I approached him.

"Hmm," Fang mumbled not in the questioning way but in the grumbling way.

"You wanna talk?" I asked him.

"I'm fine," He grumbled.

"Fang, are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" I asked him.

"I'm sure, Max," Fang insisted with a dark look in his eyes. I was a little taken back I wasn't used to people reacting like this, I always hung out with people who talked about how they felt but Fang was different.

"Ok then," I sighed and turned to walk. I stopped when I heard Fang's voice.

"Max?" He asked me.

"Yeah?" I asked back.

"Thanks," He thanked me that shocked me even more.

"I didn't do anything," I pointed out.

"Yes you did," Fang replied mysteriously. I had to double check for a smile that I wasn't sure if I'd seen. I'd been friends with Fang (well at least I saw him as a friend) for six weeks now and I'd learned that his proper smiles were worth looking for since he didn't give them out a lot.

"Well in that case you're welcome," I smiled softly at him. My heart did a little skip that felt so weird.

Nudge arrived at school late that day and she started looking at me weirdly.

"Ok, Nudge, you've been looking at me oddly all day, what's going on?" I asked her at lunch.

"Do you have a thing for Fang?" She blurted out, loudly. Iggy and Fang stopped fighting over the ball and stared at us and Ethan stopped dead in his tracks. The silence was disrupted again by another unnatural smell. These smells had been showing up ever since Ethan arrived.

"What the hell is that smell?" Iggy demanded. I saw Ethan blush.

"Ethan?" Fang asked him. Ethan looked away from us and I felt a pang of pity for him.

"It's ok, Ethan, really," I assured him.

"Why didn't you just tell us?" Nudge asked.

"It's a problem I've had my whole life, the doctors said it something to do with my stomach and my friends from my previous school ended up ignoring me blah, blah, blah," Ethan explained quickly.

"Dude, it's cool!" Iggy insisted.

"Your like The Gasman," Fang laughed.

"It's really ok?" Ethan (The Gasman) asked.

"Its fine," Nudge smiled at him.

"I just won't let you near my cheese," She continued. The boys continued playing basketball but Nudge pulled me to the side.

"You never answered my question," Nudge pointed out.

"Nudge, I don't have a thing for Fang, he's a friend," I sighed.

"Ok that's all I wanted to know," She grinned she had an evil grin.

I saw Ella walking over to me.

"Max, my best sister in the world," She cooed.

"What do you want?" I laughed.

"I need to borrow some money," She admitted.

"Max, are you coming back or are you gonna watch?" Iggy demanded he stopped when he saw my sister.

"Hi, I'm Iggy," He greeted.

"Ella. I'm Max's sister," They shook hands and I interrupted whatever was going on.

"El, I don't have any money on me," I told her with an apologetic look on her face.

"Oh well," She sighed and went back to her friends.

"Anyways are you coming?" Iggy asked me.

"Yeah, whatever," I laughed with a roll of my eyes.

I had no idea where Sophie was, she showed up to school every now and again but I couldn't remember the last time she'd been at school for a whole week. I kind of felt bad that I was having so much fun without her, I mean I liked her and everything but we didn't really click as friends.

"Yes!" Ethan exclaimed for no apparent reason.

"What?" The three of us asked at the same time.

"After tomorrow no more jump rope," He cheered.

"Thank god!" Fang exclaimed.

"Aw dang, no watching Fang make a fool out of himself," Iggy whined.

"You don't need jump rope for that," I pointed out.

"Shut up," Fang grumbled.


	11. Chapter 11

Chap 11- Blushy

**A/N **

**Fang: Ok she has a message for you, so I would run.**

**Me: Shut up Fang, I know that there is no FAX yet but I mean I listed it as romance and friendship and they're like 11 so the romance won't come yet. I wanted to establish the friendship between the two of them first.**

**Fang: I told you to run, once she gets started she doesn't shut up.**

**Me: Shut up Fang**

The last day of jumping rope finally arrived and I had so much I wanted to tell Sophie. Fang, Iggy and I walked into class and sat down. Mrs. Overwood started to read the role when she reached Sophie's name.

"Ah Sophie has left the school," She replied as if we all knew it and she was reminding herself.

The words struck me by surprise and Fang and Iggy instantly turned to face me. I couldn't believe that Sophie had just left without saying anything to me. I know we weren't all that close but still it was a shock.

As we were walking to the gym Iggy and Fang came over to me.

"Max, are you alright?" Fang asked.

"I guess I'm alright, I mean I didn't really know her and we weren't that close," I shrugged. When we got inside Fang and I lost Iggy in the crowd.

"Where the hell is Iggy?" Fang demanded.

"Fang," I warned him, I was getting really sick of his swearing, nice people don't swear.

"Sorry," He grumbled.

We ended up sitting in the back row with Casey and Sally.

"Aw aren't they cute," Casey laughed with Sally. I chose to ignore Casey and turned to Fang.

"They aren't going to stop are they?" He mumbled.

"Do you care?" I asked him.

"Sometimes it just gets annoying," He shrugged.

"Is that what was wrong that day?" I guessed.

"Yeah, I was in a mood and someone mentioned it that morning and I got pissed off," He explained. I was shocked Fang was telling me how he felt, that never happened.

I heard weird noises next to me and turned to see Casey laughing with Sally. Casey sighed and put her head on Sally's shoulder.

"Pass it on," She giggled. Sally sighed and did the same thing to me.

"Pass it on," Sally instructed me. I turned to see Fang.

"I'm not passing that on to him!" I refused in shock. Fang looked at me like I was some crazy person.

Casey then made kissy noises at Sally and told her to pass them on.

"No way," I replied. It kind of went through it a circuit, from heads on shoulder, to lovesick sighing, to kissing sounds.

"There is nothing going on between me and Fang, we're just friends!" I exclaimed. Fang looked at me in shock and I realised that it was the first time I had admitted our friendship to him.

"We are friends aren't we?" I double checked.

"of course," Fang grinned at me. (again not a full smile but still a smile).

"So there you have it, nothing with a big fat nothing!" I insisted.

"Um, Max, you should see how red you're going," Sally laughed.

"Oh my god," Casey laughed.

"You look like a tomato," Sally laughed.

"Is it even possible to go that red?" Casey laughed. I had a funny feeling that I was going redder and redder by the second if at all possible.

"Blushy!" Fang exclaimed quietly.

"What?" I demanded.

"Blushy," He smirked at me.

"Oh no," I groaned as I realised that this was my new nickname.

"Oh yes," He smirked again.

"That's not fair," I cried.

"Yes, it's revenge," He nodded.

"Um, hello I got revenge on you this would be revenge for revenge," I pointed out to him.

"Exactly!" He exclaimed. I banged my head against my palm and carried on to myself. On my left I had Casey and Sally raving on about kissing, hugging and leaning my head on Fang's shoulder and all that crap and then on my right I had Fang whispering my new nick name in my ear. My life officially sucked especially when my heat gave a little skip whenever Fang whispered in my ear. What the hell was up with that?

I tried to get through the rest of the demonstration without thinking about Fang which for some reason wasn't easy.

"Are sure that you guys don't like each other?" Sally asked me.

"I'm sure," I insisted with a long sigh of frustration.

I made it through the jump rope thingy without turning completely red and without my heart jumping too much. I didn't like boys I just didn't, I wasn't supposed to. I didn't date so why should I bother. I was slowly getting a feeling that my friendship with Fang would change my life forever.

I was glad that we both confessed that we were friends though I mean that was a relief. We'd only been friends for a few weeks but I felt like it was longer like I couldn't believe that we had waited this long. The only down side was that because we became friends so quickly people wouldn't shut up. I know everyone says that you shouldn't care what people think but that's easier said than done. Take it from someone who knows. I was so grateful that we didn't get caught talking though I mean we would've been in so much trouble.

I spoke to Nudge about a lot of my feelings, I mean Fang listened but sometimes I just needed a girl to talk to. I used to hang with some of the boys and kick a footy around but I wasn't really proper friends with them and now I know why. They are so complicated, I swear they were put on this planet just to screw things up and I bet with science I can prove it.


	12. Chapter 12

Chap 12- It's not always about cheese

**A/N **

**Me: Hey it's me again,**

**Fang: Joy**

**Me: Anyways I was talking to my best friend mymortalromances who reminds me a lot of Nudge.**

**Fang: Seriously the girl never shuts up about cheese!**

**Me: Anyways she wasn't happy because Nudge wasn't in this fanfic much…**

**Fang: That's because Max obsesses with me**

**Me: You're so full of yourself.**

**Fang: You make that sound like a bad thing.**

**Me: Anyways I'm going to make Nudge come in it a lot more I promise and Angel will start to fit in as well.**

**Fang: What no me?**

**Me: (Face-palm)**

I arrived at school and Nudge was jumping up and down… big surprise.

"Oh my god, Max!" She exclaimed.

"What did I do?" I asked cautiously.

"You blushed!" She exclaimed.

"I couldn't help it ok," I whined.

"No it's cute, it proves that you have emotions," Nudge nodded.

"Nudge, did you have sugar?" I questioned her as I rubbed my hand along my forehead.

"No," Nudge lied.

"Oh well I don't have to deal with you in class Ethan does," I smirked.

"I know, I drive him nuts he keeps banging his head against the table for no reason and then he looks like he's holding a stress ball and shaking it and then he starts punching the air just because I asked him what his favourite type of cheese is. Did you know that he actually doesn't eat a whole lot of cheese? I mean that is just so wrong! Everyone should eat cheese but on the other hand it means more for me," Nudge rambled I'm not sure what she said next since I kind of zoned her out.

Eventually the gasman came to my rescue by clamping his hand over Nudge's mouth.

"My hero," I laughed as I gave him a thankful smile. He waited until the sound of Nudge's muffled voice disappeared and let his hand go. Nudge took in a deep breath and her expression turned to a glare.

"You guys are so mean," She whined.

"Aw, Nudge, I'm sorry but you wouldn't shut up," Ethan apologised.

"But…" Nudge began.

"I will gas you," Ethan warned her immediately Nudge went silent.

"Hey, I'm here too," I protested.

"Sorry but it works," Ethan shrugged.

"Hmm," I shrugged in agreement.

"Hey peoples, what's happening?" A loud voice came from behind us.

"Hi, Iggy," We all replied in unison as if we were greeting a teacher. Fang, Nudge, The Gasman and I had all discussed that Iggy was trying to act cool. Maybe he was trying too hard but we were getting used to it.

"So whatcha been up to?" Iggy asked as he leaned against the wall. He ran his hand through his blonde hair and gazed at us with his blue eyes. Now that I thought about it Iggy and Fang were opposites.

Fang had dark hair and midnight eyes and Iggy had blonde hair and blue eyes like Ethan (they almost looked like brothers), Fang was dark and moody where as Iggy always seemed to be happy and was open about how he felt. I think I was a bit like all of them. I could close my self off but I also liked to say how I felt, I could talk a lot like Nudge and I had a lot in common with Ethan. I had dirty blonde hair and muddy eyes. I was Ethan, Fang's and Nudges height. I seemed to be all of them put together.

Before this year none of us hung out together apart from Iggy and Fang. I was starting to think that losing my old friends was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

"Well we haven't really been up to much, except I was explaining to Max how Ethan doesn't understand the importance of cheese in your daily diet and then…" Nudge trailed on before Ethan clamped his hand over her mouth again.

"Alright, alright I get the message," Nudge sighed.

"Finally!" We all sighed with relief.

"How long do you think she'll last?" Iggy asked me.

"About five minutes at the most," I smiled.

"Oh terrific!" Ethan complained.

"I am here you know, I can hear you," Nudge informed us.

"What's the big deal the bell will go soon?" I asked Ethan.

"Yeah for you its not a big deal but I have class with her… all… day… long!" Ethan exclaimed.

"Again I am still here!" Nudge huffed,

"That's a good point," Iggy continued completely ignoring Nudge.

Just then Fang walked up to us.

"Hey guys mum wants me to ask you all if you want to come over this weekend for movies?" He asked not too enthusiastically.

"Do you actually want us there?" I asked. Fang shrugged and nodded. Iggy, Nudge and Ethan all agreed to go but I was a bit hesitant.

"I'll think about it," I muttered and walked off.

"Max, wait!" Fang called but the bell went so I kept walking. He finally caught up to me at recess.

"Max, can I talk to you?" Fang asked me.

"What about?" I asked him.

"Do you not want to come over to my house or something?" He asked me straight out.

"It's not that, its' that you don't want me at your house," I explained to him.

"What who told you that?" Fang demanded.

"No-one they didn't have to, it wasn't that hard to figure out, you have Iggy over all the time but you haven't had the rest of us and it didn't sound like you wanted to," I explained to him trying not to feel hurt.

"Max, if I didn't want you there I wouldn't have asked you and told my mum that you couldn't make it," Fang laughed.

"You just didn't sound too happy about it this morning," I shrugged.

"Max, I'm eleven, I haven't had girls at my place really, in case you haven't noticed before I started talking to you I basically hung with Iggy and that was it," Fang pointed out.

I thought for a minute.

"So the issue is I'm a girl?" I demanded.

"Oh my god, Max, I'm not used to having girls over and am kind of nervous," Fang blurted out.

"That's really why you were so unsure this morning?" I checked.

"Yes I'm telling you the truth," Fang sighed.

"Ok I believe you," I laughed.

"Thank god," He sighed thankfully.

"You didn't swear this time," I noticed.

"I'm trying not to," He admitted.

I smiled at him.

"Fang," I began.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Thanks for telling me what was going on," I thanked him with a soft smile.

"Well I don't want to make a habit out of it, I have a reputation to hold up," He grumbled. I smiled to myself because I knew now that there was hope for Fang yet, maybe I could open him up. Maybe he just needed someone to talk to but didn't he have Iggy, why did he need me? All I knew was that I was starting to change around him and I wanted to help him.

**A/N**

**Me: mymortalromances I hope you're happy Nudge was in this chapter and actually talking.**

**Fang: Please be happy please be happy.**

**Me: See even Fang's begging I mean literally he's on his knees. It's kinda cute.**

**Fang: I hate cute, I ain't cute**


	13. Chapter 13

Chap 13-

The week flew by pretty quickly and it was now Thursday night, my last chance to convince mum to let me go to Fang's house. She was a bit unsure about it since she didn't want me dating did she forget that I'm only eleven?

"Mum, please," I begged for the one hundredth and thirty first time.

"I don't know, Max," Mum hesitated.

"Why not?" I asked trying to stay calm.

"He's a boy," Mum replied flatly.

"So half of the world is full of them, Mum," I pointed out.

"You know how I feel about you dating," Mum warned me.

"Mum, ew and it's not a date it's a movie night with a lot of people and Fang is just a friend," I insisted.

"If there is nothing going on with you and… Fang why are you so desperate to go?" Mum demanded.

"Because he's my friend what's wrong with me wanting to hang out with my friend?" I questioned her.

"Nothing except for the fact that he's a boy," Mum told me as if it made perfect sense.

"Did you not hear me? Friend," I repeated.

"Ok, fine I give in you can go," Mum sighed.

"Thank you," I thanked her with a hug and ran to my room.

I would tell Fang tomorrow that I finally convinced Mum to let me go, about time.

"So what are you doing on Saturday?" Ella asked.

"I'm going to Fang's house," I told her.

"Mum's letting you?" Ella asked, she sounded shocked.

"Yes," I informed her.

"I need you to teach me how to argue," Ella practically begged me.

"I think you'll be fine on your own," I smiled at her. It was true even though Ella was only nine she could argue with the best of them.

"Still you're going to a boys' house," Ella pointed out.

"It's not like that; I'm going to my friend's house to watch movies with my other friends," I explained to Ella.

"Ok but your friend is a boy and that's enough for Mum," Ella pointed out.

She was right, Mum didn't want me dating, which was fair enough, I mean I was eleven and I didn't like Fang like that anyways.

As per usual Nudge was the first person I saw and heard Friday morning.

"Max!" She called out.

"Hey, Nudge, have you seen Fang?" I asked her.

"Oh, so I'm not good enough to talk to anymore huh, you would rather talk to an emotionless rock than me. I know I say a lot and you guys don't like to listen to all of it but still when someone comes to talk to you and you ask where someone else is it hurts, Max, it really hurts. It's like if you buy a new car it's going to have glitches you don't just replace it with another car," Nudge rambled on.

"Nudge, I wanted to know if you'd seen Fang so that I could tell him something, not so I could replace him with you," I assured her.

"Oh, so if you had to choose who to talk to who would you choose?" Nudge asked me.

Just then Ethan rocked up. I never thought I'd be so happy to see a ten year old boy before. Then again I never thought that that ten year old boy would need to save me from a ten year old motor mouth.

"Do you need rescuing again?" Ethan asked me.

"No she doesn't, no one needs rescuing from me, I am not dangerous I am simply bubbly and anyone who has a problem with that can go to the toilet and piss off!" Nudge huffed.

"Whoa, Nudge calm down girl," Ethan hushed her.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Nudge shouted.

"Or no more cheese for you," Ethan warned her.

"Ok maybe this once I'll allow it," Nudge wavered I couldn't help but laugh.

I saw Fang walk up and grinned.

"Fang, just the person I wanted to see," I grinned.

"What did I do?" He asked cautiously.

"Nothing, I finally got Mum to agree to let me come over," I told him.

"Oh and you couldn't tell me that, honestly…" Nudge began.

"Nudge," Ethan warned her and she backed off.

"Did he hypnotise her or something?" Fang asked me.

"No, he just has a way with her," I smiled.

I caught Fang's eyes and my heart skipped a beat… not again.

"Well we need him around all the time then," Fang laughed.

"Hi, Iggy," Nudge mumbled as Iggy appeared.

"Ok, it looks like Nudge, sounds like Nudge but it can't be Nudge," Iggy stated.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because she's quiet," Iggy pointed out. Nudge poked her tongue out at him.

"The Gasman is blackmailing her," Fang explained to Iggy.

"Dude you're awesome!" Iggy high-fived Ethan.

"I have ears, and feelings," Nudge spoke.

"Aw, Nudge," I soothed her as I gave her a hug.

"It's ok, Nudge, I'll give you cheese," Ethan offered her.

"Yay!" Nudge squealed and almost leapt into Ethan's arms.

"Ok, so you're all coming tomorrow and don't worry Nudge, I told Mum that we need cheese," Fang confirmed.

"Yay, cheese, cheese, cheese!" she chanted.

"Ok, she's scary," I whispered to Fang.

"Aw, is Blushy scared?" Fang asked me. As I heard my new nickname I went bright red.

"I hate you so much," I growled at Fang.

"You wish," Fang smirked.

I only blushed because it reminded me of that day when I got it… not good.

**A/N**

**Fang isn't here at the moment I sent him to manners class because he's so rude, anyways tell me what you think in a review I like reviews Angel will come in chap fourteen as will the beginning on FAX yay. So does anyone have any idea what is going to happen anyone wanna share do it in a review. Love ya's **


	14. Chapter 14

Chap 14 - Gazzy

_**BEXIE: HEY!  
>FANG: oh no, she's here…<br>BEXIE: You know you love me  
>FANG: Suuuuure I do<br>BEXIE: So I'm taking over writingisforever's author's notes to tell you to review! And send me cheese!  
>FANG: So, yeah, in case you haven't guessed, that's mymortalromances…<br>BEXIE: pwease read my stories!**_

Saturday finally arrived so I left home early before Mum could change her mind. Fang's house was about a five minute walk from my house so it was really easy to get to. Ella helped keep Mum busy while I got ready to leave. To avoid the fuss I simply dressed in my jeans and a plain t-shirt. I wasn't big on dressing up but Mum could be slightly overprotective.

I arrived at Fang's house at around noon and his mum opened the door while holding Angel.

"Max, isn't it?" His mum asked. She looked tired.

"Yes," I confirmed for her.

"Call me Jane," she told me with a warm smile. She looked more like Angel than Fang.

I walked inside the front door and began to walk down the hallway. I heard the phone ringing and Jane didn't really seem to know where to go or what to do.

"Would you like some help?" I offered.

"Thank you, could you just hold Angel while I answer the phone?" She asked me hopefully. I nodded and held Angel in my arms. Jane took off down the hallway and disappeared.

"Now, Angel where do I find your brother?" I asked the toddler. She looked at me and pointed down the hallway.

"This way?" I asked her. She nodded. We reached the end of the hallway and I saw the lounge-room. It had been set up for the movie night or maybe it always looked like that. There were two couches and a couple of one-seater chairs.

"Mum where…" I heard Fang ask.

"Max," He seemed surprised to see me.

"Well hello to you to sunshine," I laughed.

"What are you doing with my sister?" He asked, he sounded slightly concerned.

"I'm about to kidnap her," I joked. A dark look formed on his face and he looked like he was ready to kill me.

"I'm kidding, I was helping your Mum out," I laughed at him. I realised that he was very protective over Angel.

"Well no-one else is here yet so do you want to give me a hand?" Fang instructed me with what should have been a request instead of an order.

"I thought I was the guest," I joked.

"Max, if you don't want to help then get out of the way!" Fang snapped.

"Whoa, calm down, I'm messing with you," I assured him.

"Sorry," Fang grumbled.

"Are you ok?" I asked him.

"Just fine," He mumbled.

"Fang, don't lie to me," I warned him.

"What's it matter?" Fang demanded.

"You're friend and I care about you," I told him, as if it would be obvious.

"Thanks, I'm just kind of moody," He confessed.

"It's ok, I'll give you a hand if you need it," I offered.

"I have two of my own," Fang smirked.

"You know what I mean," I sighed.

"I know and thanks," Fang accepted.

The doorbell rang and once again Jane looked lost.

"I'll get it," I offered. As I walked down the hallway I overheard Jane talk to Fang.

"I like her, keep her," Jane instructed him.

"Mum, Max is a friend, and that's it there is nothing else there," Fang sighed. I chuckled and headed to the door.

I opened the door and saw Iggy.

"Be careful Mr. Sunshine is kind of moody," I warned Iggy.

"How do you know?" Iggy asked.

"He told me," I shrugged. Iggy's face fell.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"You have the same effect of Fang that Ethan does on Nudge," Iggy sighed. I didn't know what to say.

"Iggy you know that there is nothing between me and Fang," I assured him.

"I know, I guess that's what bugs me," Iggy shrugged and walked down the hallway.

I followed Iggy feeling slightly confused. The last thing I wanted to do was take Iggy away from Fang… ok why did that sentence make it sound like Iggy and Fang were a couple?

Eventually Nudge and Ethan arrived, Nudge was surprisingly quiet, we all turned to Ethan for an explanation.

"Ok, what did you do?" We all asked him.

"Oh, I offered to take her out for cheese if she stayed quiet," Ethan chuckled.

"It's not fair!" Nudge whined.

"Get over it," I told her bluntly. Nudge scowled at me.

"Where's Ella, she's nice to me?" Nudge asked me.

"Ella's at home with Mum," I told her.

"Oh, no fair, Fang, why didn't you ask Ella to come you big meany," Nudge scowled.

"I don't know Ella," Fang pointed out.

"Well invite her to the next one," Jane called out.

"The next one?" Fang asked and his voiced quivered.

"Face it, Fang, you're stuck with us now," I laughed.

"Nooooo!" Fang cried and sunk to the floor.

"Ethan, when do I get my cheese?" Nudge asked.

"We just got here!" Ethan sighed and hit his and on his head.

"So?" Nudge asked innocently.

"I think she likes you Ethan," Iggy smirked.

"Eww!" Nudge screamed.

"Oh real nice, Nudge," Ethan scoffed.

"No not like that, you know what I mean," Nudge turned to Ethan.

Suddenly a disgusting smell filled the room.

"Ethan!" I groaned.

"Dude!" Iggy exclaimed as he high-fived him.

"Oh my," Jane gasped and left the room.

"Gazzy, gazzy," Angel coughed.

"Did you hear that Ethan, you're gazzy," I laughed.

The smell finally passed and we sat down watching movies.

"Gazzy, you pass me my drink?" I asked him.

"Are you ever going to let that go?" Ethan asked me.

"Nope," We all replied.

"It suits you, in fact that's your new nickname," Nudge giggled.

"Fine," Ethan… I mean Gazzy grumbed.

I caught Fang's eyes and started to think. Everyone always thought that I liked Fang or Fang liked me or that we were going out. I do not have a crush on Fang, I do not have a crush on Fang… oh my god… I have a crush on Fang!

**A/N**

**Me: I'm baak**

**Fang: Nooooooo**

**Me: what are you doing here, I sent you off to manners class?**

**Fang: mymortalromances let me come back.**

**Me: (glares at mymortalromances)**

**Bexie: But he's just so cute.**

**Fang: I ain't cute, I don't do cute.**

**Me: Get out!**

**Bexie: Awwww, I love you writingisforever**

**Me: Suck up.**

**Me: Anyways who didn't see that coming Max likes Fang yay!**


	15. Chapter 15

Chap 15-

It sucked, I'd had a crush on Fang for a few months now and we were in term three. I hadn't told anyone about it and I wasn't planning on it. Thank god he was so naïve.

Iggy was ok with Fang and I being friends now… I think.

"Max, have you seen Gazzy?" Nudge asked me.

"No not today why?" I asked.

"I wanted to ask him if he'd seen my necklace, you know the one with the cheese pendant, I think I left it at his house yesterday when we were doing homework," Nudge explained.

"Oh ok," I realised. If I didn't know any better I would've asked her if she had a thing for Gazzy but then as retaliation she would've asked me if I liked Fang and I wasn't prepared to answer that question.

Ella walked up with Iggy. She had started hanging around us and she and Iggy were becoming friends. I was happy she was hanging around me but I didn't totally trust Iggy with my baby sister, he was after all… Iggy. I like Iggy and I love my sister but Iggy had been changing lately into a normal boy of his age and I wasn't letting him near my nine year old sister.

Fang walked up and I noticed his midnight eyes and how his perfect hair flopped in front of his face. I tried my hardest not to blush knowing he can never be mine and that even if he could he would never feel the same way about me.

"I can't wait for the school concert to come up," Ella told us.

"I know right!" Nudge squealed.

"Joy," All three boys spoke sarcastically.

"What's the big deal?" I asked them.

"Look, Max, its fun for you girls, it's dressing up and performing but for us it's torture," Fang explained

"But for the first time there's a theme," Nudge told them.

"Yeah, it's music through the ages," Ella sighed.

"That pretty much just turned it into a costume party," Fang grumbled.

"You're going to do it though aren't you?" I checked.

"I don't know," Fang replied honestly.

"Why not?" I demanded.

"I just don't feel like it," Fang shrugged.

"Whoa did Fang just say he felt something?" Gazzy teased.

"Someone call the media," Nudge laughed. Fang laughed along but I could see the pain behind his beautiful eyes.

"Let's not get too excited I do have a reputation to uphold," Fang smirked. I wish he would just tell them to cut it out and that it was hurting him.

I couldn't get a word out of Fang in class.

"Ig? Do you think you could get Fang to talk?" I asked him out of desperation.

"He's fine Max, you shouldn't worry so much," Iggy told me. Was I the only one who could see the pain in Fang? I know I wasn't imagining it I just couldn't believe that no-one else could see it.

"Fang, can I talk to you?" I asked him at recess.

"What?" He snapped.

"Hey that was unfair," I told him feeling slightly hurt.

"Sorry," Fang apologised.

"It's fine but what's wrong?" I asked him.

"Nothing's wrong," Fang insisted.

"Fang, don't lie to me, I know it bothered you," I told him trying not to lose my temper.

"It didn't ok, so just drop it!" Fang snapped.

"Fine, excuse me for trying to help," I scoffed. I began to walk away but I stopped and turned around.

"By the way, I was pretty sure that I told you not to lie to me," I told him and continued to walk off.

I walked around the school for a little bit and I was really mad at Fang.

"Max, wait up," Fang called out to me.

"Nope," I refused.

"Come-on please," Fang begged.

"Fine," I sighed.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, you were only trying to help me and I suppose it bothered me a little bit," Fang apologised.

"I knew it did," I rolled my eyes at him.

"How?" Fang demanded.

"I just did," I shrugged. I mean I wasn't about to say I could see it behind your beautiful, dark eyes.

"Look, the point is thanks for being concerned but there's nothing to worry about," Fang insisted.

"Fine whatever," I shrugged.

Mrs. Overwood fell sick after recess and we had to have relief teacher come in. I personally thought it would've been much less hassle for if they had just sent all of us home but somehow the principal didn't see it that way. Our reward for being so good by the end of the day was for the last hour we'd go out for P.E.

She took us for one on one basketball. For once Fang and I were placed on different teams so we were on the opposite sides of the gym. I was so busy watching the current game that I forgot all about Fang. That is until I heard a scream from the opposite side of the gym. My head shot up and my eyes saw an enraged Fang chasing Mel and Kim (two snobby girls in our class) with a cricket bat. He threw the bat with all of his might at them which made them scream more. I stared with wide eyes as he stormed out of the gym.

"Nick!" The teacher screamed at him. I jumped up to go after him as he stormed out the doors.

"Max, leave him," The teacher instructed me. I felt a pang in my heart that I couldn't be there for Fang. _'I'm sorry'_ I thought in my head wishing I could say it to him.

As the bell rang I rushed out of the gym hoping to find Fang. Sure enough I found him grabbing his bag.

"Fang!" I called.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Are you ok?" I asked him.

"Just fine," He growled. I tried to keep up with him but man the boy could walk fast.

He seemed to be calming down as we walked until Nudge came out of her class.

"Hi," She spoke cheerfully. When Fang remained silent the foolish girl didn't get the message.

"Aww, what's wrong did Max break up with you?" Nudge asked him.

Fang snapped and chased Nudge ferociously. Her scream filled the air as he gave up and stormed off.

"Fang!" I yelled. He ignored me.

"Fang!" I tried again.

"Fang!"

"Nick!" I yelled finally using his really name for the first time in months.

"Did you just call him Nick?" Sally asked creeping up behind me.

"Not now Sally," I groaned.

"Hey, it's alright, I get your worried about him," She smiled kindly.

I was worried about Fang and I didn't know what was going on with him or what Mel and Kim said to make him snap. Something told me I would never find out.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 –

**A/N Me: Heyo**

**Fang: I'm baaaaak**

**Me: Never a good sign.**

**Fang: Why my lady why the displeasure of seeing me.**

**Me: Huh?**

**Fang: You wished for a gentleman and a gentleman you have received.**

**Me: Oh dear god, Fang are you kidding me?**

**Fang: My fair maiden I never kid that is for children.**

**Me: Fang, get a grip.**

**Fang: I'm not quiet sure what you mean.**

**Me: I sent you to manners class… not 15th century literature.**

**Anyways read the next chapter while I knock some sense into Fang.**

I was so worried about Fang; I mean obviously I was worried about him… I called him Nick something I hadn't done for most of the year and I was quite proud of that. I didn't know what to do or why Nudge would say a thing like that. I didn't know if I should go over to his house and see if he was ok or if I should leave him alone and give him space.

I didn't know what Mel and Kim had said to make him snap like that. I knew Fang needed someone and whether he liked it or not I was that someone.

"Max, chill I'm sure he's fine," Ella insisted.

"Ella, you didn't see the look in his eyes," I sighed.

"No and I'll never connect with him like you do but you have to let him have some space," Ella told me wisely.

"Are you sure you're only nine," I laughed.

"Almost ten," she huffed.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I tried to stop myself from bursting into laughter but I couldn't. At the sound of my hysterics Ella scowled at me.

"Fine, I tried to help but no you just want to laugh at me!" She scoffed.

"Aw, Ella, I'm sorry," I apologised as I pulled her into hug.

"Yeah, yeah,"

I was super quiet at dinner so of course Mum noticed.

"Max, is everything ok?" Mum asked me.

"I'm worried about Fang," I confessed. I told her what happened.

"Max, I think that you should be careful," Mum told me.

"No, Mum, Fang is a friend and nothing more, just because he is a boy doesn't mean I'm going to sneak around when I'm eleven!" I snapped and I left the table in a huff.

I know mum was just looking out for me but seriously it sounded like she didn't trust me or something. Mum found me in my room and I knew my life would now be over.

"Max, honey, can I talk to you?" Mum asked calmly.

"I'm sorry, Mum, I shouldn't have used that tone of voice with you," I apologised.

"No you shouldn't have but I'm the one who should be sorry, it's ok for you to have friends who are boys I was being unreasonable and I didn't listen to you," Mum apologised. I'll spare you the sappy details but I always knew Mum was just trying to protect me and I appreciated that. I think parents are there to do what's best for you but to annoy you while they do it.

"Honey, I'm sure Fang is fine and you're right to worry about him," Mum assured me.

"About time," I mumbled with a grin.

"Well you're happy again and that means the world to me," Mum told me as she brushed a lock of my dirty- blonde hair (the colour, it actually was clean I just washed it) out of my face.

"I just don't know what more I can do for him," I sighed.

"Be his friend and really there's nothing else until he asks," Mum told me.

"Fine, but I don't like it," I groaned.

"You don't have to," Mum laughed.

I knew she was right but admitting that my Mum is right isn't my favourite thing to do especially when it comes to Fang.

"Mum, can I have my own movie night here?" I asked her out of the blue.

"Huh?" Mum asked me.

"Well we've had the last four at Fang's and I thought it would be nice to rotate them around," I pointed out.

"That's fair we can't have his mum doing everything," Mum agreed.

"Thank you, Mummy," I thanked her enthusiastically.

"Now, while I'm in this optimistic mood do you want me to take you to Fang's so you can see if he's alright?" Mum asked me.

"Yes, before the aliens return with the real you," I joked.

I jumped in the car and Mum drove me to Fang's.

"Oh, Max, honey is everything alright?" Jane asked me.

"Yes, I'm here to see Fang," I announced

"Oh well he's in his room," Jane told me. I saw Angel walking down the hallway.

"Maxie," She squeaked as she saw me.

"Thanks," I told Jane as I took Angel into my arms and walked to Fang's room. I knew where his room was but I'd never been in there before.

"Fang?" I called out.

"Max!" Fang's voiced called out in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" He asked me. He didn't seem overly happy to see me.

"I wanted to see if you were alright," I told him.

"Why?" Fang demanded. I couldn't believe what I was hearing what was it going to take for this boy to get the message?

"Forget it," I huffed. I rolled my eyes and stormed away.

"Max!" Fang called out.

"What?" I snapped.

"You still have my sister," Fang pointed out. I glanced at Angel and realised I almost kidnapped her without knowing it. I placed Angel down and continued to storm off.

"Max, wait?" Fang asked me.

"For what?" I snapped.

"Why are you so mad?" Fang asked me.

"Are you kidding me? I come to see if you are alright but every time I want to see if you're fine you push me away and make me feel dumb for even trying!" I shouted.

"I'm sorry," Fang apologised.

"For what?" I demanded.

"You're right, you're just trying to be a good friend and I'm not exactly being the most thankful guy," Fang admitted.

"Exactly?" I scoffed.

"Ok I'm not," Fang laughed.

"Look, I wanted to see if you were ok, you were pretty moody," I told him.

"Interesting how you're the only one here," I thought I heard Fang mumble.

"Look, what did Mel and Kim say to make you lose it?" I asked.

"It doesn't matter and I'd rather not talk about it," Fang sighed.

"Ok, fine but I just wanted to see if you were ok," I told him.

"Thanks," Fang told me. Even though he only gave me a half smile I knew that he meant it. I knew that behind the anger and the silence was a lonely young boy who wanted to be heard.

"Hey, listen did you want to have the next movie night at my house?" I asked him.

"Yeah, if it's not too much trouble Mum's been really tired what with Dad having to work double shifts and with Angel and everything," Fang accepted.

I placed my hand on Fang's shoulder and smiled at him, thankful I had someone who drove me nuts but I could talk to.


	17. Chapter 17

Chap 17 – Mamma Mia.

We were in Music lesson and our teacher Mrs. Berry. We were going through what we were going to do for our class item at our school concert. The previous week we'd decided that we would do Mamma Mia by ABBA.

"Does anyone have any ideas on what we can do?" Mrs. Berry asked the class. Everyone was quiet except for Sally.

"I was thinking maybe we could do a little skit before hand that would lead into the song," Sally replied.

"I'm listening," Mrs. Berry urged her on.

"Well maybe you could have the Mum and the Dad with the two kids and the dog and they could try to order pizza but argue about it or something," Sally continued. It was a really good idea and I could picture it in my head. I kicked myself for not thinking of it first.

"Alright, that sounds good we need someone to play the father," Mrs. Berry agreed. I have no idea why but as I watched a few guys put their hands up Fang's hand was amongst them.

"Nick, thank you," Mrs. Berry gave Fang the role of husband and father.

"We now need someone to play the wife and mother,"

"Max, you should do it, you're good at being an authority figure," Mel told me sweetly. Yes Mel could be a pain in the arse and the 'b' word but she could also be nice when she wanted to be. Without even thinking about Fang playing the husband and father I put my hand up.

"Ah, Max, of course you'd be perfect," Mrs. Berry smiled. Fang took one look at me and sunk in his seat.

"Oh shit," He mumbled. I shot him a cheeky grin but inside I was hurting.

"Oh no," I groaned just to play along. I didn't want him to know that his reaction hurt, if I told him that he'd figure out that I liked him.

Eventually I decided to overlook it and stop thinking about it. As luck would have it Iggy was to play our son and Casey was to play our daughter. Sam was going to be our dog and Dylan was going to be the pizza boy.

Fang was looking at me weirdly for the whole lesson; we finally got let out for recess.

"Ok, do I have something on my face?" I asked Fang.

"No… I just," Fang began then suddenly stopped.

"What?" I asked.

"It's just you're… you're… my wife," Fang hesitated. I opened my mouth to speak but instead Iggy opened his mouth and burst out laughing.

Nudge and Gazzy walked up to us so unsuspecting of the awkward situation that they were about to enter into.

"Max and Fang got married and then they had me!" Iggy yelled. Nudge and Gazzy turned pale.

"What?" They both yelled together.

"You… and you and then you had… that!" Nudge stammered.

"Hey," Iggy objected.

"It's for music, we're doing Mamma Mia for the concert and there's a little skit at the beginning and Fang and I are married," I explained as I rubbed my forehead.

"How did that happen, and dude why wasn't I invited to the wedding?" Gazzy demanded.

"Yeah, Max, I thought I meant something to you and you didn't even put me in the wedding party," Nudge complained.

"Hey what's going on?" Ella asked cheerfully as she walked up.

"Say hello to your new brother in-law," Gazzy grinned as he gestured towards Fang.

"Whoa, Mum isn't going to like this one bit," Ella laughed.

"Ok that's it… I want a divorce!" I demanded.

"Fine, with me," Fang agreed with me.

"Good!" I shouted.

"Good!" He shouted back.

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Ah, married life," Iggy sighed.

"Well if you want a divorce party then invite me!" Nudge begged.

"Yes, Nudge," I assured her. Something told me that the rest of the year was going to go by very slowly.

Before the day had even finished I was wondering about being married to someone one day and something scary came up. Every time I imagined being married to someone my husband was… Fang! Whenever I've had a crush on a guy before I've never seen their face on my future husband, he sort of didn't have a face. So why was Fang's face suddenly there? I wondered what he would have to do in order to pretend to be my husband; would he have to kiss my cheek or something?

In the car on the way home I wondered if Ella was going to try and cause trouble. I thought I was safe until she opened her mouth.

"So, Mum, Max got married," Ella blurted out.

"Ella," I grimaced through my teeth.

"Um," Mum began, it seemed as though she was lost for words.

"Who is my new son in law?" Mum asked me.

"Fang," I mumbled.

"So, do you want to explain why my eleven year old daughter is married?" Mum requested.

"It's for the school concert," I explained. I continued the story trying to ignore Ella's giggles from the background.

"Well I'm sure you'll all have lots to talk about at the movie thingy majiggy that you're having on Saturday," Mum laughed.

"Yeah, yeah," I groaned.

"Oh, don't worry, Mum, they agreed to divorce," Ella snickered.

"Lovely," Mum smiled. Her phone began to ring but because she was a good Mummy she didn't answer it while she was driving.

"Max, honey, could you answer that?" Mum asked me.

"Dr. Martinez's phone," I greeted.

"Hold on one minute please,"

"Mum, are you free for an appointment tomorrow morning on a puppy about some sort of disease?" I asked Mum with the phone against my chest.

"Um, yeah sure," Mum nodded.

"Yes, she's available," I clicked my fingers at Ella (our signal for I need paper and a pen ASAP) I wrote the details down and hung up.

"Oh, Max, your Dad called today," Mum suddenly remembered. I almost spat out the water that was in my mouth.

"What?" I demanded.

"He said he's back from his trip and he wants to catch up," Mum told me kindly.

"Did you say no?" I questioned.

"No, I said that you would call him back… which you will," Mum told me with a look that said call him back because I'm the Mum and I say so.

"Fine… I'll consider calling him, the spending time with him thing I can't guarantee," I grumbled.

"I know you're mad honey," Mum began.

"Humph,"

Mad didn't even begin to describe what I felt where my Dad was concerned. I saw the look on Ella's face in the background. She was worried about me; it didn't really affect her since Ella was only my half sister.

When I got home I picked up my phone and took a deep breath. I searched through my contacts until I found his number.

"Take the Plunge, Max," I told myself.

**A/N Sorry it took me so long to update this chapter, I've sent Fang away again since he was REALLY creeping me out. Hopefully he'll come back polite but in this century. Anyways I like reviews so let me know what you think if you hate it or love it I want to know.**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 - Father Dearest.

I sighed and put my phone back on my bed. I wanted to talk to my dad but I wasn't ready. He'd hurt me pretty badly and I had no idea on what I would say to him so why waste his precious time.

"Max, did you talk to your father?" Mum asked me the next morning.

"Um, yeah he said he'd let me know when he was free," I lied through my teeth. Mum looked at me weirdly but didn't go on.

"Is everyone coming tomorrow?" Ella asked me.

"Yep, everyone is coming, Jane keeps telling Fang to thank me over and over again," I laughed.

"Aw she's such a nice woman," Mum sighed.

"Yeah I don't know how she ended up with Fang," I scoffed.

"Well Fang looks nothing like her, does he look like his dad, Max?" Ella asked me.

"I don't know… I've never met Fang's dad," I realised.

"Oh, isn't he around much?" Mum asked with a tone of pity.

"No, he is it's just I haven't been there when he's there, I'm there when he's working and I've only been there like five times," I explained.

"Ah then how do you know that he's there?" Ella asked me.

"Fang talks about him all of the time," I pointed out.

"Honey, you know that sometimes people make up stuff to hide the pain," Mum pointed out.

"What is it with the two of you, he's there ok and I know this because I choose to believe my friend," I insisted firmly. I know I know I'm a tad protective of him but I can't help it.

Even if I didn't like him I'd still protect him… there was something different about him just the way he was I'd never met anyone like him before. Ok I'm freaking myself out I'm eleven I should be thinking ew gross. I mean I don't want to take it anywhere it's just a little crush my friendship with him is way more important to me then pulling goo-goo eyes at him.

I went to school trying to act as normal as possible. When Fang arrived he eyed me weirdly.

"Max, are you ok?" He asked me.

"Of course," I lied. I thought I was pretty convincing but Fang saw straight through me.

"Max, don't lie to me," Fang told me.

"I'm sorry aren't we getting a divorce?" I questioned him.

"Yes but for now we're still married so tell me what's wrong," Fang requested of me still carrying on with the joke.

"Well maybe we'd be divorced if you didn't lose the papers!" I pointed out even though it wasn't true.

"Me lose the papers, I never had them!" Fang told me.

"I gave them to you!" I insisted.

"Uh oh trouble in paradise," I heard Gazzy laugh.

"Mummy, Daddy, are you splitting up?" Iggy asked us trying his best not to laugh.

"Aw, Iggy, it's ok," Nudge soothed him.

"I'm not worried about the fight… I'm worried about the making up," Iggy smirked. Fang, Iggy and Gazzy burst into laughter while we three girls stood there puzzled.

"You guy's are freaks!" I screamed.

"Hey you're married to one of them," Nudge pointed out.

"Not for long," I muttered.

"Don't worry, Nudge I'll tell you everything," Iggy and Ella promised in unison.

"Max, don't think I didn't notice," Fang whispered in my ear.

"Notice what?" I asked him.

"That you changed the subject," Fang told me. My heart stopped for a moment as I stared at him.

"Fang, it's nothing," I lied.

"You know you suck at lying right?" Fang checked with me.

"Obviously not completely otherwise…" I began before I realised that I had fallen into Fang's trap.

"Alright come on what's going on?" Fang demanded.

"Fine my dad called," I told him.

"You wanna talk?" He asked me.

"Yeah, maybe later," I accepted.

"I'll be here," Fang gave me one of his half smiles. Fang began to walk off to class.

"Fang," I called.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks," I smiled at him.

"No problem, what are friends for?"

By the time recess had rolled around I thought Fang would have forgotten all about talking to me.

"So do you still want to talk?" Fang asked. Obviously he hadn't forgotten.

"Long story turned short, Dad didn't get in touch with me for a while and he called wanting to catch up," I told Fang.

"Ok, continue,"

"Mum told me to call him and I almost did but I just couldn't so I lied and said I did," I admitted.

"He hurt you," Fang guessed.

"Thank you captain obvious," I replied sarcastically.

"Max so what he left your mum or what?" Fang asked.

"No Mum and dad have been divorced for years Ella is my half sister, Dad left on a trip and just kinda stopped talking to me," I explained.

"Where's Ella's dad?" Fang asked me.

"Sperm bank," I replied.

"Oh he works there?" Fang asked.

"Fang," I muttered as I rubbed my forehead.

"Oh," Fang realised.

"So what are you going to do about your Dad?" Fang asked me.

"I don't know," I sighed.

"Maybe you should call him for real," Fang suggested.

"No! I'm sick of being thrown around when he wants me!" I snapped.

"Whoa, take it easy, I don't know your situation you don't talk about your Dad a lot," Fang pointed out trying to making me calm down.

"Yeah, yeah well thanks for listening but we're still getting divorced and you can take the kids," I smirked.

"No you can take the kids," Fang insisted.

"No you can take the kids," I insisted.

"I don't think so," Fang smirked.

"Well I do," I told him stubbornly.

"I don't." Fang argued.

"I do," I argued back, I don't think I'd ever met anyone as stubborn as Fang.

"I don't,"

"I do,"

"I don't"

"I do,"

"You know I can actually hear you and I must say it hurts that my own parents don't want me," Iggy sobbed.

"Well it saves us having to tell you," Fang shrugged.

"I choose Mum," Iggy called out.

"No, Iggy don't you want to live your Dad I mean I'm strict and I'm mean where as your Dad is a push over," I told Iggy.

"No, don't you want to live with your Mum, I will never be able to provide you with a proper upbringing," Fang continued.

"Besides you love your Dad," I pointed out.

"No you love your Mother," Fang tried.

"Should we run away now?" Nudge whispered to Gazzy and Ella.

"Um yeah," Gazzy and Ella agreed together.

"Wait, don't leave us to sort out our family problems by ourselves," I whined.

"You'll live, Max," Nudge laughed.

"Fine no cheese for you!" I shouted. Nudge ran back to me and collapsed onto her knees.

"Please, Max, forgive me don't take away my cheese!" Nudge begged I swear I saw tears at one stage.

"Gazzy!" Ella, Iggy, Fang and I all yelled at once.

"Coming," Gazzy groaned.

"Come on, Nudge, we'll go and find some cheese," Gazzy told her as he pulled her up from the ground.

"Yay!" Nudge squealed.

"This girl is costing me a fortune," Gazzy growled at me.

"Sorry," I mouthed to him.

**A/N**

**Me: So poor Max has daddy issues the poor baby.**

**Fang: That's not very good.**

**Me: You're back!  
>Fang: Yes I am and I hope Max is ok<strong>

**Me: You're nice! (randomly wraps arms around Fang)**

**Fang: um ok I didn't know you felt that way about me.**

**Me: I don't.**

**Fang: Oh ok my bad.**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19-

I was waiting for everyone else to arrive when the home phone rang.

"Max!" Mum yelled.

"Hold on, Jeb," I heard her speak into the phone. I knew I was in for it.

"Max, you told me you called your father," Mum looked at me.

"I was going to but I couldn't" I admitted.

"We'll talk about this later," Mum sighed and handed me the phone.

"Hello," I said trying to stop my voice from shaking.

"Hey, sweetie, how are you?" Dad asked me.

"I'm fine," I answered.

"I was wondering if you wanted to catch up today?" Dad asked me.

"Oh um, Dad, I'm sorry but I can't today I have plans," I apologised. Dad was silent.

"Dad?" I asked.

"I'm sorry it's just I haven't seen you in a very long time and you're too busy to come and see me," Dad sounded a bit hurt but it only made me mad.

"Hang on, you were the one who called at the last minute, I would I just can't today," I was trying to hold in my fury but it wasn't working all that well. I could tell because of the hot tears streaming down my fuming cheeks.

"Well, I can't say I'm not disappointed," Dad sighed.

"Ditto!" I snapped and hung up the phone.

It wasn't long before the phone rang again, I have no idea why I picked up but I did.

"Hello?" I growled.

"Honey, I'm sorry you were right," I heard Dad's voice apologise. My anger softened and I was willing to listen. The front door opened and Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy and Fang walked into the room.

"Hey, Max!" They all shouted. I held my finger up in the 'shush I'm on the phone' gesture.

"Well that's rude!" Nudge scoffed.

"Tell me about it," Iggy said in disgust. My eyes caught Fang's confused look. He took one look at my face and nodded.

"Come on guy's let's set up in the lounge room and give the girl some space," Fang told them and pushed them down the hall.

"In the other direction!" I called out. I saw them walk back past but this time in the right direction. Which was actually the left.

"Listen, how about tomorrow you, me and Ari go and do something?" Dad asked me.

"You mean it?" I asked since he'd let me down before.

"I promise," Dad promised.

"Alright well my friends are here so I have to go," I told Dad.

"Alright, sweetheart, I love you and I'm sorry," Dad told me I hung up in shock. My Dad was apologising.

I walked into the lounge room in some kind of trance.

"Now, let's try this again… Hi, Max," Nudge tried. I wasn't really paying attention.

"Hi," I replied in a mono-tone with a vacant expression.

"Unbelievable!" Nudge exclaimed.

"Max, can I talk to you?" Fang quickly asked and dragged me outside the room.

"It was him wasn't it?" Fang asked me.

"Yeah, he apologised," I gasped.

"For what?" Fang asked me.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that I haven't seen my Dad in about a year because he went a business trip and didn't call me?" I asked quickly.

"Um kinda yeah," Fang nodded.

"Oh well that's why I was mad at him," I shrugged.

"Yeah, I can get that," Fang told me with sympathy in his eyes.

"Oh by the way thanks for the whole phone thing," I thanked him.

"Any time, Nudge is just in a grouch because she ran out of cheese this morning," Fang growled.

"When will the girl realise that the world doesn't revolve around cheese?" I sighed.

"It is to!" I heard Nudge yell from the lounge room. Fang and I burst into laughter.

"Anyways so you're ok?" Fang checked.

"I'm fine," I told him. I was secretly wondering how long I could keep my other secret from my friends. I'd have to talk to Ella about keeping that from Nudge and Iggy and Gazzy and Fang.

"Nudge, would you like some cheese?" I asked her.

"Do you even have to ask?" Gazzy groaned.

"Yes please!" Nudge yelled.

"Mum, could you please bring Queen Nudge her royal cheese plate?" I asked sarcastically.

"Right away," Mum grinned.

"What are we watching first?" Ella asked me.

"Let's make the guys watch a chick flick!" Nudge squealed.

"No way in hell!" Fang refused.

"Aw, come on, Fang," I cooed.

"Bite me!" Fang sneered.

"Don't tempt me," I fought back.

"Oooh relationship troubles," Gazzy sniggered.

"Shut up Gazzy!" Fang snapped.

"Never!" Gazzy refused.

"Don't make me come over there," Fang warned him.

"Give it your best shot," Gazzy dared him.

"Whoa guys, guys chill," I told them I gazed into Fang's gorgeous midnight eyes and he gazed straight back into mine.

"Fine," Fang grumbled. Iggy's jaw dropped open.

"Max, hallway now," Iggy ordered me.

"Yes, sir," I saluted him.

"Jeez, drill sergeant, what's the big deal?" I demanded of Iggy.

"How the hell do you do that?" Iggy demanded.

"Do what?" I asked I was officially confused.

"Get Fang to tell you how he feels and to stop him from getting into a fight even if it's just a friendly one!" Iggy said in a quiet shout.

"What's the big deal?" I asked.

"He talks to you, Max, Fang doesn't talk to anyone… not even me," Iggy sighed. I could see the hurt in his blue eyes as he brushed his shaggy blonde hair out of his face.

"Oh," I mumbled.

"I don't know how I do it I just do," I shrugged.

"Well it's just confusing," Iggy sighed.

"Iggy, get back here with Fang's wife," Nudge called.

"She's not my wife," Fang growled.

"Oh, finally signed the papers I see," I smiled around the corner.

"Nope he lost them, he doesn't want to lose you, Max, don't leave him," Gazzy cried. Iggy and I walked back into the lounge room.

Gazzy threw himself at my feet.

"Max, please go back to him, whatever idiotic thing he did to lose you he's sorry, he loves you," Gazzy cried in an overly dramatic fashion.

"Wait how do you know I'm the one who did something stupid why not her?" Fang demanded.

"Kinda obvious genius," I smirked.

"Go back to him," Gazzy cried. I started to blush… how do I know this? Well I saw the all too familiar smirk crawl across Fang's lips.

"Blushy," He smiled. I could feel my face turn beet red.

"I am going to kill you," I glared and him and headed towards him.

"Yeah right, Max, you're too much of a rule follower and you're too much of a girl," Fang told me.

I screamed and almighty war cry and jumped on Fang. Screaming and slapping his arms.

"Max, you know the saying where boys can't hit girls?" Fang groaned.

"Yeah," I answered.

"I always ignored it," Fang grinned and before I knew it he was fighting back just as hard.

"Um are we ever going to turn on the TV?" Ella asked.

"Why would we, this is so much better than TV," Iggy, Nudge and Gazzy all replied.

"Yeah until Mum walks in, I doubt she'd like to see her daughter rolling around on the floor with Fang," Ella pointed out. Fang and I were still slapping and yelling at each other.

"I hate you!" I yelled.

"I hate you more!" Fang yelled back.

"Fang!" I yelled.

"Blushy!" He yelled back.

"Too girly?" I demanded as I kept slapping his arms.

"And by the book," Fang added.

"You… you… you," I began.

"Go ahead say it!" Fang dared me. I took a deep breath.

"You're not worth it," I sighed and stopped slapping him.

"Real nice, Max!" He panted and fell beside next to me.

"Yeah, yeah," I sighed.

"Eh, it's all in fun anyways," Fang shrugged.

"Yeah," I laughed.

"Come on let's start the movies," I sighed.

"Why, that was far more entertaining?" Gazzy laughed.

"So, I'm too girly huh?" I asked Fang.

"Nope, you proved me wrong," Fang smiled.

**A/N **

**Me: So there you have it. Fang got beat up by a girl.**

**Fang: Seriously? Out of that whole chapter that's all you got?**

**Me: hmmm yep**

**Fang: Lovely.**

**Me: Anyways review and tell me what you think I'm all eyes since it's through the net and I can't hear you.**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20 –

**A/N **

**Me: Yay Max and Fang wrestled in the last chapter.**

**Fang: Not so fun for me,**

**Me: Aw poor Fangy Wangy.**

**Fang: Is this chapter going to have me in it?**

**Me: Maybe not**

**Fang: So we are bothering to write it why?**

**Me: I already sent you to manners class; do I have to send you to obnoxious class as well?**

**Fang: Nah I don't need a class, I'm good enough as it is.**

**Me: (Face palm) why?**

"Dad!" I squealed as I ran to the door.

"Princess," Dad replied and picked me up and spun me around.

"Princess?" I asked wanting to throw up.

"Hey, Val," Dad greeted my mum and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"It's good to see you, Jeb," Mum smiled. I couldn't help thinking 'aw they would be so cute together' but then I remembered they're divorced!

"You ready to go munchkin?" Dad asked me. I nodded eagerly.

"You left the baby in the car?" Mum questioned Dad.

"Val, he's fine, don't worry so much," Dad laughed.

"Let's go before she kills you," I suggested as I tugged Dad's arm. I'm only eleven and I know when he needs rescuing.

"Maxie!" I heard a little voice yell.

"How does he remember who I am?" I asked Dad.

"I don't know, maybe it has something to do with the photo of you that he snuck away," Dad grinned.

"Aw, that's so cute," I gasped.

"My God, you're so big," Dad sighed as he looked at me properly.

"Hmm I wonder why you've missed it," I smirked.

"Alright, I should've called and there is no excuse so I'm not even going to try. However, Max, I would like another chance," Dad asked me.

"Fine, you're the only Dad I have anyways," I sighed.

"Thank you," Dad gave a sigh of relief as he wrapped his arms around me.

I opened the back door to see my brother Ari.

"Hello," I smiled at him. I picked him up and gave him a big hug.

"When did you get so good with babies?" Dad asked me.

"I have a friend who has a sister who would be about the same age as Ari," I explained.

"Ah ok," Dad realised. I put Ari back into his seat and climbed into the front next to Dad.

"Where are we going?" I asked Dad.

"Anywhere you like," Dad told me.

"Hmm, a movie, then lunch and then for the afternoon I want to go horse riding," I listed and no I'm not a spoilt brat.

"Hmm, I think we can manage that, sweetheart I wanted to talk to you about your year seven graduation," Dad agreed and then carried on to another subject.

"Oh you mean the one that isn't for another year?" I asked him cheekily.

"Yes I was going to ask you if it would be alright if I bought your dress." Dad asked hopefully.

"Oh, Mum already called dibs," I apologised.

"Damn, I was hoping I would get in early, hmm perhaps your mum and I can come to an agreement,"

"Like what?" I asked cautiously.

"Like she goes shopping with you and I'll pay for it." Dad suggested.

"I think that'll work," I nodded.

"Alright off to the movies," Dad cheered.

At lunch we went to a nice restaurant where we could talk and catch up.

"So, Max, I want to ask you a favour,' Dad began.

"Oh, this oughta be good," I muttered.

"You mentioned you had a friend who had a sister who was Ari's age and I was hoping that maybe you could talk to her and arrange for them to meet," Dad requested.

"Um, Dad, Angel can't really speak yet," I told him.

"No, honey, I meant your friend," Dad laughed.

"Oh, my friend isn't a girl," I told him bluntly.

"You don't hang out with boys, what happened to Casey and Sally?" Dad asked.

"Oh um they ditched me and I met Fang," I shrugged.

"So you hang out with a boy?" Dad double checked.

"No," Dad began to look relieved.

"I hang out with three," I finished.

"So tell me about Fang?" Dad asked.

"Oh you mean my husband?" I checked.

"Ok, that's it I'm never going away again," Dad insisted.

"Dad, Fang and I are just friends," I insisted.

"As long as he doesn't put his hands on my baby girl," Dad warned me.

I explained the story of how Fang became Fang and how he became my husband.

"He's a really great guy, Dad," I insisted.

"Well that's good but still hands off," Dad warned.

"Ok now this conversation is making me uncomfortable so can we go?" I asked.

"Yep what was next on the list?" Dad asked.

"Horse riding," I reminded him.

"Right well a quick detour first," Dad grinned. It wasn't a sweet grin it was a grin that told me that he was up to something.

We were driving and driving and driving and driving and driving forever and ever and ever and ever.

"Dad where are we going?" I asked.

"Just wait and see," Dad told me.

"I hate waiting," I moaned.

"You have no patience," Dad noticed.

"Yeah Fang tells me that all the time," I grumbled.

We began to head up a driveway and it was a long driveway.

"Dad, this isn't where you take me riding?" I realised.

"I know," Dad chirped.

"Ok, what's going on?" I asked when we parked the car.

I got out and Ari out of his baby seat.

"I thought this would help me say sorry," Dad explained.

"Dad, you don't have to buy me things to say sorry. I'm not the kind of girl," I explained to him.

"How long have you been riding?" Dad asked me.

"You've been taking me for as long as I can remember," I replied.

"Well I put you on a horse when you were two years old, maybe Ari can learn a few things for his big sister," Dad hinted.

"So you want me to bring Ari to a horse school?" I asked Dad.

"Not quite," Dad replied and walked ahead of me.

"Do we know what he's talking about?" I asked Ari.

"Shhh," He answered and put his fingered over his mouth.

"Yeah I thought that was going to be your response," I sighed.

"Horsy!" Ari squealed when he saw a paddock full of horses.

"Yes, Ari, horses," I said in my baby excited voice.

"Jeb, I was wondering when you'd get here," I turned and saw a beautiful woman who looked quite young but at the same time I could tell she was in her mid thirties. She had red curly hair and eyes that sparkled like emeralds. I wished I could be as beautiful as her instead of my dirty blonde hair and my muddy brown eyes.

"Hey, Nancy, this is my daughter Max," Jeb said as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Hi, Max, I'm Nancy," She showed me a pearly white smile and I instantly liked her.

"Hi, so what horse am I on today?" I asked her.

"What? Jeb, you didn't tell her?" Nancy shot Dad a look as I felt my face go bright red.

"Not yet I wanted to surprise her," Dad grinned.

"Ok well, Max, I want you to come with me," Nancy smiled.

I silently followed the whole time thanking the lord wherever he may be that Nudge was not here.

"Max, honey, are you ready to buy your first horse?" Dad asked me. Nancy quickly took Ari from my arms.

"Are you serious?" I screamed.

"Yes," Dad confirmed.

"Oh my gosh. Thank you so much!" I squealed as I wrapped my arms around the best dad in the whole wide world.

"You don't have to do this," I told him.

"I want to," Dad insisted.

I gazed into the paddock for a while and my eyes fell on a gorgeous black colt with white socks and a white blaze down the front of his gorgeous face.

"Wow," I breathed.

Nancy went into the field and soon enough she'd led the colt to the riding arena. I put on a helmet and mounted up on him. I rode him around the arena. His riding style matched mine in everyway.

"Is he the one?" Dad asked as I pulled the horse to a stop.

"Absolutely," I said.

"Alright see if you can get him into the trailer," Dad told me.

"Huh?" I asked him.

"There is a trailer attached to the back of the car," Dad told me slowly.

"Um, Dad, where exactly am I going to put him, I doubt Mum is going to let me keep a horse in the back yard?" I asked Dad.

"We'll take him to my new place," Dad told me.

"Oh ok," I nodded slowly. Wait since when did Dad have a new house.

I dismounted and led my new horse to the trailer at the back of the car. I decided that I would call my new horse Midnight. He was absolutely beautiful.

"Come on boy," I told him as I tried to lead him to the trailer. He saw the trailer and stopped.

"Oh, so you're one of those are you, Midnight?" I asked him. I placed my hand on his nose.

"It's alright boy," I soothed him as I stared into his dark eyes that looked like the night sky.

Slowly I led him back into the trailer.

"Good boy," I patted his neck and locked the door.

I ran back over to Dad.

"Dad this is the best present in the world." I thanked him again.

"I don't know how you're going to top it for her birthday," Nancy laughed.

"Dad, what about equipment?" I asked him.

"Oh, I've thrown in all of his gear for free," Nancy smiled.

"Thank you," I grinned.

"No problem, your Dad and I went to university together so it's a favour to a friend," Nancy told me.

"I like your friends," I laughed to Dad.

"Come on, Ari," I grabbed my little brother and took him to the trailer.

"I have a horse," I told him.

"Yay," Ari squealed and clapped his hands together.

"He's coming home," I told Ari.

"Horsy!" Ari giggled.

"Yes, Ari and one day I'm going to teach you how to ride," I told Ari.

"Yay, thank you very much," Ari smiled. The kid had manners.

I hadn't seen Ari in a year since Dad had taken him with him when he left but now they were both back and both mine.

We drove all the way to Dad's new house. It was on the outskirts of town maybe about a half hour away from home but yet it was secluded. I looked out the window and lost my breath.

"Oh… my… god!" I gasped.

**A/N: **

**Me: Yay, Max has a horse.**

**Fang: I wasn't in this chapter.**

**Me: Fang it isn't all about you and you've been in every other chapter… I didn't want you to get tired.**

**Fang: Fair enough and tell her what you think in a review so that she'll stop yapping on to me about how she wants reviews and all that crap.**


	21. Chapter 21

Chap 21-

**A/N**

**Hey I'm replying to a question from helping out our future writers. I considered putting in Fangs P.O.V but I decided I wanted to keep his feelings a secret for a while just to have the feeling of the unknown. His P.O.V will probably come in later when I need it but right now I want to keep it a secret. Only because of what I've based the story on. **

**In answer to your next question I don't know how far I'm going, I think I'm going to make them age as the story goes on so they start of in year 6 and finish in year 12 or something like that. Hopefully this answers your questions. :D**

I couldn't believe my eyes, it was unbelievable we drove down through the beautiful and fancy black gates and drove up a beautiful driveway. Maple trees surrounded the grounds but the most marvellous thing of all was the giant mansion. It reminded me of Aaron Spelling's house except it had balconies at the front and in front of certain rooms and it was a three story house instead of a two story. It was like a palace.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed again.

"Do you like it?" Dad asked.

"I've only seen it for about ten seconds and I love it," I gasped. It was absolutely huge and gorgeous and did I mention huge. As Dad drove around to the back of the house I realised it was a lot thicker than Aaron Spelling's house, like maybe twice the width but it maintained the shape of a 'W'.

"I can't believe that this is yours," I gasped.

"Well it is, it was being built while Ari and I were away. If you come inside I'll give you a tour," Dad offered.

"No I think I'll just sit outside doing nothing," I replied sarcastically. Dad shot me a look and I burst out laughing.

"First thing is first, let's get Midnight to his stable," Dad told me.

"Huh?" I asked him. I unloaded Midnight and followed Dad. I hadn't even noticed the large and fancy stable behind the house… if you can even call it that.

"I love you!" I screamed. Dad already had it all set up so all I had to do was to take Midnight in there and shut the door.

"I'll be back in a little bit ok, I just want to go and see the house first and then we'll go for a ride," I said to Midnight and kissed his face. I couldn't believe I had my own horse I mean I was still screaming on the inside.

Dad made me walk all the way to front of the house so I could walk through the grand entryway. As I walked in I noticed that the floor had oak floor boards that I could almost see my reflection in. The walls weren't grey but not quite white; I don't think it had a colour. A giant chandelier with gorgeous glass hung down from the ceiling. A giant grand staircase descended both left and right. In the far left room way, way, way on the other side of the house there was an indoor gym. The master kitchen was one of the centre rooms at the back of the house and the dining room was in the middle of the house. There were so many different corridors that I knew I would get lost. Dad's humongous bedroom was on the second floor and Ari's room was four rooms away. I took a quick peek in what would be Ari's room at the moment he was still in Dad's room only until his third birthday.

The massive I repeat massive swimming pool was inside and outside towards the right side of the house on the second floor. The outside wall was a series of glass windows and you could swim under them to get outside. It was like a dream that I never wanted to wake up from. A connection from the pool was the spa, they both ended on the balcony that held a terrific view. At the other end of the pool which was inside was a waterfall make of fake rocks.

"Do you want to see your room?" Dad asked me.

"I have a room?" I asked.

"Of course you do," Dad smiled at me. We walked back into the centre of the house and that was when I noticed that cinema room. It was what it sounded like. It pretty much looked like a cinema but instead there were no floor seats but there where beanbags and lounge chairs.

"Oh my god," I gasped.

"Do you know how many times you've said that today?" Dad asked me.

"Lost count ages ago," I laughed.

We continued to walk and Dad opened up two double white doors with gold handles. The room was empty but huge! The entire floor had floor boards but the centre of the floor was raised. The window was apart of the tower that I had seen as we drove up. I had a huge walk in wardrobe and my own shining bathroom. I had doors that led out onto the balcony and I was just above the pool since the room was on the third floor.

"We'll go shopping and you can buy all the stuff you want," Dad told me. I was speechless, the house was gorgeous.

"Dad, when you get old and die just remember your favourite daughter in your will," I reminded him.

"Will do," Dad assured me.

Dad had a few workers around the house but he treated them really well. He wasn't bossy or rude he was polite and treated them like friends. A couple of them were assistants, others cleaned up and I think he'd taken on a few stable hands since I couldn't be there every day to take care of Midnight. A few of them had homes of their own but others stayed in the rooms downstairs. After that there were about ten empty rooms that I saw. Dad didn't know what he was going to do with them yet but they were all huge.

In a nutshell the house was massive. After the grand tour I headed back to the stables.

"Dad seriously this is huge, I mean celebrity huge," I told him.

"I know I combined some designs from existing celebrity homes and created this," Dad bragged.

I tacked up Midnight and put on my helmet. I led Midnight out of his stall and mounted up on him.

"Be careful," Dad warned me.

"I won't leave the grounds," I promised.

"Good," Dad agreed.

I started off with a walk and headed into a trot.

"Well, Midnight, this has certainly been one heck of a day, I got a horse, my Dad has a mansion," I told Midnight as we walked up a trail.

"Just you wait until all of my friends hear about this," I grinned and then I paused.

"Well, I would except I'm not going to tell them, they can't know. I know we've been friends for a while and everything but I don't want them to know," I sighed. Midnight made some sort of weird horse sound that told me he agreed.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled Midnight to a stop and pulled it out. I know I'm only eleven and I shouldn't really have a phone but Dad bought it for me so we could keep in touch. I didn't tell anyone at school I had it because I didn't want them to see the blue bedazzled sidekick.

"Hey, Mum," I said.

"Honey, what time are you going to be home? It's a school night," Mum asked me.

"Um, I don't know," I replied.

"Well could you ask your father?" Mum asked me.

"Um not really?" I told her.

"Why not?" Mum demanded.

"He's not here at the moment," I told her frankly.

"Isn't that typical," Mum muttered.

"Ok, I'll tell you what, I'll head back now and get him to take me home," I assured her.

"Where are you?" Mum asked me.

"I'm Dad's backyard," I replied hesitantly.

"Ok, well I'll see you soon," Mum sighed.

"No later than an hour," I promised and hung up. I dismounted off of Midnight. I wanted to take a few photos just so that I could have him with me.

I took my shots and galloped back the stables where I found Dad waiting for me.

"Mum, called she said she wants me home," I told him.

"Alright, you take care of Midnight and I'll get someone to watch Ari," Dad told me.

I took off all of Midnight's riding gear and took it to the shed. I grabbed a brush and began to groom him. He was so beautiful that it took my breath away. As I looked into his dark eyes I suddenly remembered Fang. How could I keep this a secret from him, everyone else seemed easy when I thought about it but Fang saw straight through me. 

I kissed Midnight on the forehead and left.

"I'll see you later, boy," I promised and ran down to the car. I managed to catch Ari just in time.

"I have to go now," I told him. He stretched his arms out for a hug which I gave him.

I climbed into the car with Dad and it only took about twenty minutes to drive home. I figured if I ever wanted to walk it would take a bit over an hour, I could find a bus or ride my bike. Or the best option would be to take Midnight home and keep him in the backyard.

I hugged Dad goodbye and walked to the front door. Mum opened the door and I walked inside.

"Ella!" I called out.

"Hey, Max, how was you day?" Ella asked me.

I showed her the picture of Midnight.

"Is he the horse you rode today?" Ella asked me.

"Yeah," I replied with a bit of a mystery tone.

"What riding centre?" She asked.

"None, he's mine," I grinned. Ella's jaw dropped and Mum fell into the bench.

"He bought you a horse?" The both screamed.

"Yep, his name's Midnight," I smiled.

"Where exactly are you going to keep him because I'm not having a horse in the backyard?" Mum informed me.

"At Dads new house," I replied.

"Oh… I see," Mum nodded. She wasn't mad at Dad at all. She was used to him buying me expensive things and she knew that if it was going to ruin me it would've already. She also knew that expensive things didn't make me love him.

"Do you have pictures?" Ella asked eagerly as she almost yanked my phone out of my hands.

"Yeah but you can't tell anyone," I told her.

"Why not?" Ella asked.

"I don't want anyone knowing that my Dad is a millionaire because of some great scientific discoveries and all that other stuff he did." I told her.

"Why not, honey?" Mum asked.

"I guess, I want my friends to like me for me and treat me like I'm normal. I don't want to take the risk of them suddenly changing because Dad's rich. I don't want them to always want to… I don't know. But I never told anyone about Dad being rich," I explained.

"I understand, and Ella does as well. This is something that you don't just tell everyone until you can trust them… well that's how you see it," Mum agreed.

"Thank you, Mum," I thanked her.

I lied awake in bed that night wondering how I was going to stop myself from going to school the next day and scream 'I have a horse!' at the top of my lungs.

**A/N: So Daddy is richy rich.**

**Fang: She doesn't stalk celebrities by looking up their homes on the internet.**

**Me: Well I sort of modelled the house after Aaron Spelling's former home known as 'The Manor'.**

**Fang: Well you had to get the idea from somewhere.**

**Me: Anyways review and tell me what you think.**

**Fang: (on hands and knees) PLEASE! PWETTY PWETTY PWEASE!**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22-

I had no idea on what to talk about at school. The only things on my mind were Midnight and Dad's big house.

"So you saw your Dad yesterday?" Fang asked me randomly.

"Um yeah," I replied quickly.

"Cool, so what did you do?" Fang asked.

"Um just caught up," I answered.

"Nothing special?" Fang questioned me. I almost wondered if Ella had said anything.

"Oh that reminds me. Dad wants to know if we can arrange a play date with my brother and Angel," I remembered.

"You have a brother?" Fang asked me. I realised in the whole time I'd known Fang I'd never mentioned Ari.

"Oh yeah, Dad adopted him when he was a baby," I told Fang.

"Ah," Fang responded.

"Anyways let me check with Mum since she doesn't know your Dad," Fang told me.

"Well why don't we take care of them, that way my Dad will trust me with Ari and your Mum will trust us with Angel?" I suggested.

"Yeah that's a good idea how about this weekend?" Fang asked.

"Yeah, I'll come over to your house with Ari or would my house be easier?" I asked.

"Your house," Fang answered me.

We walked into class together looking for Iggy.

"Where is Iggy?" I asked him.

"I don't know?" Fang shrugged.

We were told to go to a computer and begin our narratives that were due the next day.

"So, are you ok?" Fang asked me.

"Yeah, I'm glad I went with him," I smiled.

"Ok," Fang answered me.

"But um thanks for being there for me," I thanked him.

"Yeah, um no problem," Fang answered. In that moment I wanted to tell him everything and my heart was still thumping when he was near me. I kind of wanted to tell him how I really felt but I didn't want to weird out our friendship plus what was the point.

I unplugged my USB and played a game leaving my USB on the table. When the bell went for the end of the dad I quickly grabbed my USB and shoved it in my bag.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I told Fang and I hurried away before I yelled out 'my Dad's a millionaire and he bought and giant mansion and he bought me a horse,'

I got home and jumped onto the computer to finish my narrative but when I opened it I didn't recognise any of the files.

"This is weird," I muttered to myself. I went searching and found a file that said 'Fang's stuff'. 'Aw how cute, he calls himself Fang' I thought to myself. 'Oh so this must be Fang's USB,' I realised in my head.

"Mum!" I yelled.

"Yeah, honey," Mum answered.

"Can I quickly go to Fang's house, I accidentally grabbed his USB and I think he has mine, our assignments are due tomorrow?" I asked her.

"Yeah, just be back by five, and take your phone with you," Mum told me.

I left quickly and almost ran all the way to Fang's house. I knocked on the door and a man answered the door.

"Um is F I mean Nick here?" I asked.

"You must be Max," The man replied.

"Um, yeah I took Fnick's USB by mistake and I think he has mine," I explained.

"He's not here yet but he will be soon, come in and wait," The man invited me in. When he opened the door I had to stop myself from gawping. This man looked exactly like Fang. He had the same dark hair and the same dark eyes.

"I'm Paul, Nick's dad," The man introduced himself.

"How did you know I was Max?" I asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Paul asked me.

"How did you know I wasn't Nudge or Ella?" I explained.

"I just assumed you were Max because he's always talking about you," Paul shrugged. I tried my best to stop myself from going red.

"He went for a walk; he should be back in a few minutes. Can I get you a drink?"

"Um, yes please," I accepted. I heard the pitta patter of tiny feet and turned around to see Angel.

"Hello, Angel," I smiled and picked her up. I held her in my arms as I drank my water.

"Angel, has Fang done his homework?" I asked her.

"No," She replied.

"Does he ever do homework?" I asked. She nodded.

"Does Fang talk about me when I'm not here?" I asked her.

"Yes, a lot," She replied in the cutest little voice.

"Is it good stuff or bad stuff?" I asked her.

"It all good stuff," She answered me.

"Thank you, you've been very helpful," I thanked her.

"Your welcome very much," She answered me. I knew she and Ari would get along well.

I heard the front door close and loud footsteps coming down the hallway. "How come whenever I walk into a room you're holding my sister?" Fang asked me cheekily. I turned around to see him leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

"Good timing?" I tried.

"What are you doing here?" Fang asked me.

"You have my USB," I informed him.

"No I don't" Fang said as he shook his head.

"Uh yes you do," I told him as I took a step closer.

"Uh no I don't" Fang argued.

"Yes you do,"

"No I don't,"

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't" This went on and on with us taking a step closer each time we argued until we were just inches away. Angel quickly covered her eyes. 

"Max, I don't have your USB," Fang insisted.

"Fang, you have my USB," I insisted.

"Max, I have my USB," Fang argued.

"Fang, I have your USB," I argued back. I pulled the USB out of my pocket.

"Uh, um…" Fang stuttered.

"I have your USB," I finished.

"I was sure I put it in my bag," Fang sighed.

"They're identical, I grabbed yours and you must've grabbed mine," I explained.

Fang disappeared into his room and came out a few minutes later.

"You have my USB," Fang muttered.

"Sorry Max," I told him. In a tone that told him he needed to apologise.

"Sorry, Max," Fang mumbled.

"Thank you," I smirked.

I took my USB and got ready to walk home.

"Max, you still have my sister," Fang told me. I looked at my arms to find Angel waving at me.

"I do that every time," I laughed.

As I put her down my sidekick fell out of my pocket. Before I could grab it Fang had picked it up.

"Holy crap, Max!" Fang gasped.

"Fang, give it back!" I snapped.

"How long have you had this?" Fang asked me.

"A while now give it!" I demanded.

"How did you get one they're like heaps expensive?" Fang asked. He pressed a button and the picture of Midnight popped up.

"Who's this?" Fang asked.

"None of your damn business!" I snapped and took my phone. I stormed out of the house and down the street.

"Hey, Max, wait up!" Fang called out to me.

"No!" I refused.

"Come on what's the big deal?" Fang asked me.

"The big deal, Fang, is that it's mine and you should've given it back when I asked you to!" I shouted.

"Max, it's just a phone, an expensive phone and I didn't see anything except for the horse," Fang told me calmly.

"Well you shouldn't have touched it!" I snapped.

"Hey, now you're just being unfair," Fang told me.

"I don't think so!" I growled.

Fang looked at me for a minute.

"What are you hiding?" Fang asked me.

"Nothing ok, just drop it!" I snapped.

"You know I was glad you went to the trouble of bringing back the USB but now I wish you would've just let me fail!" Fang sighed.

"Likewise!" I snapped. Fang looked shocked.

"Fine!" Fang responded angrily.

"Fine!" I responded.

**A/N**

**Fang: That wasn't fair I didn't do anything wrong.**

**Me: You're the guy, you always did something. Anyways review, review, review.**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23- To tell the truth… or not.

**A/N**

**Me: Hey everyone I want to thank you all for your reviews so far but keep em coming. **

I didn't know what to think, I was embarrassed, mad and yet I felt guilty. Did Fang even do anything wrong or was it all me? I sat at home on my bed thinking about it. I thought back over what happened but this time from someone else's eyes in the sense that I didn't look at it from my point of view. 'Oh my, gosh,' I thought to myself. Fang never did anything wrong, sure he may have been a bit pushy about it but I was unfair.

I was so obsessed with keeping Dad's wealth a secret that I could've lost a really good friend in fact I think I might have.

I looked for Fang the next morning at school. I finally saw him although he kept his head down so I doubt that he saw me.

"Fang?" I asked.

"What do you want, Max?" Fang spat.

"To apologise," I sighed.

"Well go ahead then," Fang encouraged me with his arms folded across his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Fang, you were right it wasn't fair," I apologised. Fang looked at me in surprised.

"Did you just admit that I was right?" Fang asked me.

"Yes ok you were right and I was wrong. You didn't do anything wrong," I sighed.

"Someone should've recorded that," Fang grinned.

"Yeah, yeah," I groaned.

"Max, what are you hiding?" Fang asked me suddenly.

"I'm not hiding anything," I lied.

"Are you sure?" Fang questioned me.

"What brought this on?" I asked back.

"You've been acting weird ever since your dad showed up," Fang pointed out.

"It could be shock," I suggested.

"No it's much more than that," Fang realised.

"I don't know what you mean," I lied. I refused to look him in the eye.

"I know your hiding something, it's like you're too scared to tell any of us," Fang sighed. I don't get how he figured that out but it showed me that I would have to be more careful.

"Well, it's nothing really," I lied. I thought about my reasons again and then I realised that I didn't have any good reasons for hiding it. It didn't have to come up in conversation. Dad being rich didn't change who I was.

"Ok," Fang sighed and he began to walk away from me.

At lunch I decided to take the plunge.

"Nudge, have you seen Fang?" I asked her.

"Nope but I doubt he looks much different than he did at recess," Nudge laughed at her own joke. Iggy came back from the canteen and Gazzy and Ella were walking to the drinking fountains together, it was kinda cute.

"Ok thanks anyways," I sighed.

"Oh, Max, there he is," Nudge spotted him walking towards us.

"Fang, I have something I want to tell you," I began.

"Yeah, what?" He asked me. I looked at him and chickened out.

"Um, Mum said it was ok to have Angel and Ari over on Saturday," I quickly covered. Mum had said it was ok but that wasn't what I wanted to tell him.

"Cool, I'll tell Mum and Dad tonight," Fang told me.

"Oh they thought it was a great idea, they thought it would be good for Angel," He continued.

"Are you two lovebirds coming or what?" Iggy called out.

"We're never going to live this down are we?" I groaned.

"I doubt it," Fang laughed.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," I said sarcastically.

"Why how kind of you," Fang smiled. I gaped at him.

"Hey, you use sarcasm on me and I'll use it back," He winked at me as I glared at him.

"Have you two got a secret club or something?" Gazzy asked us.

"No," We both replied.

"Oh, Max, is there a phone number that goes with that phone?" Fang suddenly asked me. Ella's eyes opened wide as did everyone else's. Ella's looked asked 'how does he know?' but I don't know why everyone else was so shocked.

"Did Fang just use a pickup line on Max?" Iggy stuttered out.

"No, Fang did not. I just noticed that she had a phone last night and wanted to know what her number was," Fang explained.

"Wait, Max you have a phone?" Nudge asked me.

"What kind?" Gazzy asked.

"Um," I began.

"A sidekick," Fang finished for me.

"Oh my god! Are you serious?" Nudge squealed.

"Holy crap, Max, how did you afford one of those?" Iggy asked me.

"It's just a phone," I moaned.

"It's not just a phone, it's the phone and since you didn't tell us it's the secret the phone," Nudge rambled.

"Why didn't you show it off, anyone else would've?" Gazzy asked me.

"It's not a big deal," I insisted.

"How did you get it?" Iggy asked.

"Um someone bought it for me," I mumbled.

"Who?" They all asked.

I took in a deep breath.

"My Dad," I mumbled.

"Well he must be well off," Iggy responded.

"What's the big deal it's a phone," I said with a tone of irritation in my voice.

"Max, what does your Dad do?" Gazzy asked.

"He's a scientist he was on a trip for a whole year and I didn't speak to him at all but he's moved home and built a new house," I explained.

"Cool, has he ever made things blow up?" Iggy asked me.

"Probably," I shrugged.

"So how much does it pay?" Gazzy asked me.

"Enough," I shrugged again.

"You know I just got the craziest idea," Nudge began with the evilest grin I'd ever seen.

"Max and Fang should go out!" She shouted.

"Nudge!" Fang and I exclaimed in horror.

"Never gonna happen, Nudge, we're just friends," I told her even though it killed me to say so.

"Isn't that right, Fang?" I asked.

"What? Um, yeah what she said… we're just friends," He answered really strangely.

"Ok, if you say so," Nudge sighed.

"Cheer up, Nudge," Gazzy instructed her.

"Why should I?" Nudge demanded.

"Otherwise no cheese for you," Gazzy told her.

"Why are you so mean to me?" Nudge cried.

"And to think and the beginning of the year I was hanging out with normal people," Ella sighed.

"You can always go back to them," I told her.

"No she can't!" Gazzy, Nudge and Iggy all protested.

"Yay I feel so loved," Ella cheered.

"As you should," Gazzy smiled at her. I noticed a strange look in Nudge's eyes and thought I would just question her about it later.

After school Fang raced after me.

"So you'll let me know about Saturday right?" Fang asked me.

"Yep," I confirmed.

"Cool it's a date," Fang joked.

I had no idea how much I was going to regret that conversation.

The next day Mel came up to me grinning from ear to ear which is never a good sign.

"So, Max, where are you and Fang going your date on Saturday?" Mel asked me.

"My what?" I exclaimed in shock.

"You and Fang were walking together yesterday and he asked you about Saturday and then he said it was a date," Mel grinned.

"Not that it's any of your business but we were talking about something completely different. Fang and I aren't together, we're just friends," I sneered.

"Jeez fine relax," Mel scoffed and walked off in a huff.

"She will do great things," I said to myself.

**A/N**

**So Max and Fang made up. Come on say it with me awww. But she still can't tell him the truth oh the pain and the agony. Super drama alert lols I'm just messing around. Tell me what ya think thanks **


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24- Play Date

For the rest of the week all Fang and I heard was about how we must be going out and how there has to be something going on. It was a relief when the weekend finally came. Dad and Ari arrived before Fang and Angel did.

"Hey, Dad, Fang and Angel should be here soon," I said as I hugged him.

"Um actually I was wondering if you and Fang wanted to bring Angel to my house and that way you can ride Midnight and I can meet Ari's new friend and the person who's made you happy," Dad said hopefully. I thought for a minute and realised that Fang was going to find out sooner or later.

"Yeah sure, I'll show you how to get to his house," I agreed.

I got in the sleek, silver Mercedes Benz. I directed Dad to Fang's house and took a deep breath when we pulled in the driveway. I knocked on the door and Paul answered the door.

"Oh hello, Max, I thought Nick was meeting you at your house?" Paul questioned me.

"Um, slight change in plans my Dad wanted to talk to you and Jane," I told Paul. Paul let us in and led Dad into the lounge-room while I went searching for Fang.

"Angel, come on what do you want to take?" I heard Fang's tired voice ask Angel. I walked down the hall and into the other lounge-room and turned around the corner and into Fang's room.

"Need some help?" I asked him.

"Do you enjoy appearing suddenly in my house?" Fang asked me with a half smile.

"Yeah um, Fang, my Dad was wondering if we wanted to go to his house." I asked him.

"What's so special about it?" Fang demanded.

"Um, you'll see but trust me it's worth it I just ask that you don't freak out," I begged.

"What's there to freak out about?" Fang laughed.

"Um you'll see when we get there," I mumbled. Fang picked Angel up from the floor.

"Fine, be all mysterious," said Fang.

We were finally ready to leave and as we went outside Fang's jaw dropped.

"Holy crap, Max,"

"Yeah, yeah I know," I sighed.

"Why do I get the feeling that you aren't telling me something here?" Fang asked me.

"Listen I'll explain everything later ok," I promised him. We climbed into the car.

"Ari, meet Angel, Angel, meet Ari," I introduced the two toddlers.

"Very nice to meet you," Ari said in the cutest baby voice.

"Thank you very much," Angel giggled.

Fang smiled at Angel, something about her made him light up. He had sparkles in his eyes and he seemed to glow with joy. We finally began to pull up the driveway and that's when I really wanted to Fang to keep quiet.

"Holy crap!" Fang gasped.

"Didn't Max tell you?" Dad asked Fang. I think Fang must've seen my face in the mirror because he replied with.

"Yes but I just couldn't picture it in my head," I couldn't believe my ears, Fang was lying for me.

We pulled up and walked inside. Angel quickly gasped and put her hand over her mouth.

"Maxie, are you a princess?" Angel asked me.

"No, Angel, Max isn't a princess," Fang laughed.

"Wait, you're not are you?" Fang asked me quickly.

"No I'm not," I sighed.

"You can use the pool if you want," Dad offered.

"Um we didn't bring bathers," Fang and I said in unison.

"I have some spares, don't worry," Dad smiled. Dad disappeared and left Ari with Fang, Angel and I.

"Um, Max some explaining please?" Fang requested.

"Ok, my Dad just happens to be like super rich with like six zeros. He built this house when he went away," I explained.

"Um, why didn't you say anything?" Fang asked me.

"I didn't want you guys to treat me differently because I had money, like I thought you'd always want things or think I was Daddy's spoilt little rich girl. I mean I know you guys aren't like that but I didn't want you to suddenly start wanting to spend more time with me here than anywhere else." I sighed.

"Max, I know who you are and money and belongings are never going to change that. I like Max, not Max's money." Fang told me really sweetly. I had the urge to wrap my arms around him but I didn't.

"Thank you," I told him instead.

I gave him the tour and he loved it.

"Ok can one day we all hang out here?" Fang begged.

"Sure how about tomorrow we get the gang down," I suggested.

"Deal!" Fang said enthusiastically and shook my hand.

"I feel like a princess," Angel cooed.

"I live here, this is my house," Ari smiled. He and Angel held hands and it was really cute. Eventually we got to the second floor with the pool.

"Max, I want to go in," Angel begged.

"Later, because the surprise I have for you you're going to want to be dry for," I assured her.

On the way to my room I showed Fang and Angel the cinema room.

"Holy crap!" Fang exclaimed.

"Ok, I'm never leaving, this is my dream home," Fang continued.

"Are you ready for the best part, Angel?" I asked her. She nodded enthusiastically. We headed downstairs and out the back of the house.

"Wait here," I instructed them. I disappeared into the stables and said hello to Midnight. I couldn't believe how happy I was just seeing him. I had missed him so much and I couldn't wait to ride him. He nuzzled my shoulder and I laughed. I walked into his stable and put his saddle on him. I put on his riding gear and led him outside.

Angel screamed in delight and Fang nearly fell over.

"Horsy!" Angel squealed.

"Shh, Angel, this is Midnight he's my horse and I'm going to take you for a ride," I told her.

"Yay, I love you, Max!" She squealed.

"Do I get a ride?" Ari asked me. It was so cute to listen to their baby talk.

"Yes, Ari, you get a ride," I told him.

"You got any other surprises?" Fang asked me.

"Hmm, nope," I said after pausing to think.

I hoisted Angel onto Midnight and fixed the stirrups for her.

"Max, are you sure this is safe?" Fang asked me anxiously.

"Fang, she'll be fine, we're just going in a little circle like they do at the show," I assured him.

"Alright," Fang sighed.

I walked Angel around for a few minutes and then swapped her with Ari.

"Fang, do you want a turn"? I asked him.

"No I'm good," Fang said as he shook his head.

"Alright, well I'm going to go for a quick ride ok," I told him. I mounted onto Midnight and galloped off. I didn't go far but I went far enough. I loved riding Midnight and I never wanted to get off. I rode back to them and Fang was looking at me weirdly.

"What?" I asked him as I dismounted.

"Nothing," Fang replied quietly.

I put Midnight away and Fang took the kids inside to the pool.

"I love you, Midnight," I said and gave Midnight a kiss on the nose. I ran inside to find Fang and the kids already in the mini kid's pool. Fang had found a rash-top and some board shorts. I found a bikini that I covered over with a rashi and board shorts.

Angel and Ari got tired out quickly and they needed to have a nap. I directed Fang to the nursery and we put them down in Ari's cot.

"You want to go back to the pool?" Fang asked me.

"Hell yeah," I agreed.

"Yes, I'm rubbing off on you!" Fang cheered.

"Shut up," I said and I poked my tongue out at him. We jumped back into the pool and we spent the rest of the time splashing each other to death.

"Dad, can I have the rest of my friends over tomorrow?" I asked him.

"Of course, do you want to ask your Mum if you can stay the night, I'll take Fang and Angel home and then you and I can go shopping and buy you what you need." Dad told me.

"Thank you!" I squealed. I ran off to go and find Fang.

"Fang, you can come over tomorrow," I told him with a big grin.

We looked at Angel and Ari playing together. They were so cute and got along really well. They did everything together for the whole day and I'd never seen Ari or Angel like that. I mean they were generally happy kids but they lit up. They had a bond that formed instantly, I thought that that's how Fang and I would have been if we had met when we were little.

"I can't believe how well they get on," I gave a cheerful sigh.

"You love them both don't you?" Fang realised.

"Yeah, I really do even though I've probably known Angel longer than I've known Ari," I told Fang.

"How does that work?" Fang asked me.

"Ari was adopted by Dad I only knew him for a little bit and then he and Dad went away," I explained.

"So you really don't care about the money?" I asked Fang.

"No, I care about you," Fang smiled at me. It wasn't a half smile it was a real, rare, special Fang smiled.

**A/N **

**Fang: Yay I finally know.**

**Me: So now Fang knows about Max being rich and he's so sweet to Max.**

**Fang: Because I'm special like that.**

**Me: You just ruined it**

**Anyways please review pwetty pwetty pwease.**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25- The Flock

**Hello to all of my readers you'll never guess but this story is based on me and my best friend except I don't have a mansion and all that stuff but like the friendship between Max and Fang. You know how in the earlier chapters I mentioned how Fang got his nickname well I'm now calling my best friend Fang because HE BIT ME. I can so predict the future. Lols. **

We dropped Fang and Angel off much to Angel and Ari's disgust. I'd called Mum and she said it was ok for me to stay at Dad's house and we were getting ready to go shopping. Basically I needed bathers, riding clothes, pyjamas and clothes for tomorrow.

I'm an easy shopper; my riding outfit was cream pants with black boots, a black helmet, a black fancy jacket and a black casual jacket. Dad knew I wouldn't wear them a lot and that most times I would just jump on Midnight, in my jeans and my t-shirt but he wanted me to have them. I bought some cute flannel pyjamas that were black (of course) with blue dogs on them.

As for an outfit for tomorrow I bought a pair of dark blue denim jeans, a black top and a dark blue denim jacket.

The next stop was to IKEA to buy me stuff for my room. I bought a close to the floor white double bed with a beautiful backboard. I matched it with a white desk, lounge and a white chest of draws. I bought a teal lamp and teal paint. I spotted a teal fluffy rug and of course I chose it. I was going for a teal and white theme in my room.

Fang and I had already called the group and arranged for them to come and meet me at the house. I only told them the address I didn't tell them anything else apart from bring bathers and a change of clothes. I swore Ella and Fang to secrecy which they weren't too happy about since they were all coming together.

Dad and I set my room up together and by the time I worked my magic it looked great.

"Max, I wanted to ask you something?" Dad began.

"Yeah, shoot,"

"I wanted to ask you if you could encourage Ella to come and stay sometimes," Dad asked me.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"I know she doesn't have a father and I thought maybe I could fill in that space for a little bit," Dad confessed. My mouth dropped open.

"Ok, it's a bad idea," Dad concluded.

"No, Dad, it's a wonderful idea, I think she'd like that but don't tell her just try to get to know her and she'll let you know," I advised him.

I slept like a baby that night, well after stared at Midnight. I realised I could see Midnight's stables from my window in the tower. I loved my tower it was awesome! I loved Midnight so much I couldn't believe it. I was constantly trying to talk myself out of liking Fang which wasn't really working all that well.

My room was so pretty and I loved it, I wished that Mum and Dad would get back together so that we could live here and I could be with Midnight all of the time.

The next morning I heard the cheerful voice of Iggy.

"Holy shit!"

"Welcome," I greeted them all in a posh voice.

"Oh, my god, Max, how is this even possible you aren't super rich well at least your Mum isn't. I'm not saying you're poor or anything but I mean seriously take a look at this mansion it is huge. Why didn't you tell anyone, you must have been hiding this for years? Oh my god, if he is rich enough to afford this house he must be rich enough to have expensive cheese, I love your Dad do you want to swap, no of course you don't because why would you give this up, I mean seriously. This is awesome!" Nudge rambled.

"Ok, Max, what is going on?" Iggy demanded.

"This is my Dads' house," I explained. I told them the story of how Dad became super rich and blah, blah, blah.

I showed them around what I could remember of the house and listened to them rave on about how they were never leaving my palace.

"Max, you have to show them the best part," Fang insisted.

"Oh, I completely forgot about the pool," I said as I slapped my head with my palm.

"Max, I'm not talking about the pool," Fang told me. I gazed into those gorgeous eyes that made my heart stop and realised what he meant.

"That was your favourite part?" I managed to get out.

"Yes," Fang breathed. I couldn't help but feel his eyes bore into mine and then…

"Whoa, what happened between you two yesterday?" Gazzy asked me. The moment was ruined (stupid Gazzy)

"Yeah, I thought it was a play date for Angel and Ari, not a date for the two of you," said Nudge.

"Nothing," Fang and I quickly replied together.

I led them outside to the stables. I told them to wait outside and changed into my casual riding clothes, just because I felt like showing off. I tacked up Midnight after giving him a quick brush.

"Max, are you ok? You've been in there for a while," Nudge called out.

"Nudge, she's fine," I heard Fang sigh.

I heard Nudge scream as Midnight and I emerged from the shadows.

"Oh my god, Max, you have a horse, obviously you have a horse because he or she is standing right there but…" Nudge began before Gazzy clamped his hand over Nudges' mouth. I gave him a thankful smile.

"This is Midnight," I told them.

"Can you ride?" Nudge asked.

"Are you kidding? She's fantastic!" Fang insisted. Everyone including me began to give Fang weird looks.

"What?" Fang asked. I rolled my eyes and jumped on Midnight. I set off in a gallop and rode around for a bit.

When I got back people were looking at me with their eyes open wide and their jaws dropped so low that I thought they were going to smack onto the floor. I dismounted and took a bow.

"Holy, crap, Max, you've got like this whole other life that we don't know about," Iggy gasped.

"I don't well maybe a little but it doesn't matter does anyone want a ride?" I asked.

"Me!" Nudge and Ella screamed.

Ella got on first, she knew what she was doing for the most part but she didn't go any faster than a trot. Nudge couldn't wait to get on but since she'd never been on a horse before I taught her the basics and kept a hold of his bridal.

Gazzy got on and he was a natural, I noticed a strange look in Nudge's eyes when she looked at Gazzy on Midnight. I convinced Iggy to get on but I still couldn't get Fang on. I let Midnight out into one of the paddocks and got changed into my new bathers. The rest of group changed into their bathers as well and we meet by the pool. We all jumped in to the gorgeous water.

"God, Max, riding Midnight was amazing, it's almost like I was flying," Nudge smiled.

"Same here," Ella agreed.

"That's how I feel all the time," I sighed. We swam under the glass and stared over the edge.

"Look!" Iggy exclaimed. We looked up and saw seven birds flying in a V.

"I wonder if that's what we're like." Ella wondered out loud.

"What like birds?" Iggy asked.

"No like the closeness," Ella explained.

"And there are seven of us," Fang realised.

"Fang, there's five," Gazzy pointed out.

"Not if you count Ari and Angel who will be a bigger part of our group when they get older," Fang insisted.

"I guess we are like a flock in a way," Nudge shrugged.

"No, Nudge, we are a flock," I told her.

"No, we're the flock," Fang smiled at me.

"Whoo we're the flock!" Gazzy exclaimed. A series of bubbles rose to the surface.

"Gazzy!" We all screamed. We all took refuge. Fang and I sat on the man made waterfall. We laughed and looked at each other. We just sat there looking, gazing and staring, I felt calm and at ease. I had a feeling that my feelings for Fang weren't going away anytime soon.

Fang pushed me into the water as I screamed. I swam to the surface and yelled.

"Fang! You are so dead!" I threatened.

"No, Blushy, I'm very much alive!" Fang laughed.

"I hate you!" I growled.

"Oh, no Mum and Dad are fighting again," Iggy cried into Gazzy's shoulder.

"Shut up, Iggy!" Fang and I ordered him.

The day was perfect, like literally perfect. I had so much fun with my friends I mean the flock. Dad was glad that he had finally met them and said that they were welcome anytime. He dropped me home to Dad after I said goodbye to Midnight.

"I had fun today," Fang told me quietly.

"Yeah, me to," I agreed.

**Ok I'm getting ready to introduce other POVs and I think that Nudge's will be first. Please review**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26- End of Year

The end of the year was drawing closer and closer. The school concert was tonight next week and so far Fang had been blushing madly when Ms. Overwood made him call me honey over and over again until he got it right.

I was getting ready to go onto the stage for our performance. The rest of the class took their positions on their stage. Fang walked onto the stage and stood next to me.

"Hi, Honey, did you want to get pizza tonight?" Fang asked me.

"Yeah, I don't really feel like cooking, Casey, Ian, can you come in here?" I said in my best mother and wife voice. Iggy and Casey walked onto the stage.

"Hi, Mum, hi, Dad," They replied cheerfully.

"Kids we're going to order pizza tonight, Casey, you can order it," I told her. Iggy, Fang and I walked off of the stage. After Casey made the phone call we walked back on.

"Pizza's here,"

"I've got one peperoni and one meat-lovers,"

"Wait, where's the Hawaiian?" I asked.

"Where's the vegetarian?" Fang asked.

"No-one told me what to order," Casey retaliated.

"We thought it would be obvious," Iggy insisted.

"Ian, be nice to your sister," I told him.

"Maybe you should've told her what to order," Fang snapped.

"Me! You were the one who wanted to order pizza in the first place!" Our shouting became indistinct until I yelled.

"Mamma Mia here we go again!"

I stood back to back against Fang and Iggy stood back to back against Casey. The music began.

I've been cheated by you since I don't know when,

So I made up mind it must come to an end,

The music went on as we went through our routine. Eventually it came to an end and I could say that Fang and I were no longer married and Iggy was no longer our son, thank god although it was fun pretending to be married to Fang. It felt real, it didn't feel fake and it was weird.

After the concert there were only a few weeks left of the school year and Fang was going away for the whole six weeks. On the last day of school we quickly met up.

"I'll miss you," I told Fang.

"I'll miss you too," Fang told me. I wanted to hug him but I held back.

"Yeah, um ok," I told him and we shook hands. I said bye to Iggy and he looked like he wanted to hug Ella.

We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. School was like the migration where we all stuck together and the holidays were when we went our separate ways. I know real sentimental right.

My heart felt as if something was missing when I saw Fang walk away. I realised that I never gave him my phone number but when I ran to give it to him he'd already gotten in the car. He was leaving that night. I couldn't explain what I felt for Fang anymore, it was weird. I didn't want to date him since I knew I couldn't but if I could I probably would. Maybe Fang was right, I didn't make any sense sometimes.

**Sorry for the short chapter I was desperate to end the year off. Review and tell me what you think.**


	27. Chapter 27

Chap 27- Year 7

I was more ready than ever to begin the new school year. I hadn't seen or spoken to Fang in six weeks and I missed him like crazy but I had finally gotten over him. I missed the rest of the flock as well. I had seen my brother Ari all the time, I missed Angel who was with Fang, I'd seen Nudge once or twice and I'd run into Iggy in the shops. I'd seen Gazzy a few times but it wasn't the same. We didn't want to have any flock meetings without Fang.

We arrived at school and I immediately spotted Fang and smiled.

"Fang!" I screamed.

"Hey, Max," He smiled I could tell he was glad to see me.

"How was your trip?" I asked eagerly. I wanted to hear everything.

"It was good, Angel missed you like crazy though," Fang told me. I knew I wasn't going to get a lot out of him.

"Angel missed me?" I asked.

"Yeah," Fang nodded.

"So Angel's the one who missed me?" I asked him.

"Ok, fine I missed you too, there are you happy now?" Fang laughed.

"Yes," I laughed while trying to keep a straight face.

I really wanted to wrap my arms around him but I held it in for the one hundredth time.

"Max!" I heard a familiar voice scream. I turned and braced myself for Nudge to come barrelling at me.

"Oh hi, Fang," She shrugged.

"Jeez, you've seen Max how many times and I've been away," Fang scoffed.

"Yeah but Max is important," Nudge explained. Fang was about to open his mouth to speak when Iggy and Gazzy showed up.

"Hey, girl!" Iggy grinned and gave me a pat on the shoulder.

"Hello!" Fang exclaimed.

"Oh, hey mate how was your trip?" Iggy asked him casually.

"Yeah, was it fun?" Gazzy added.

"Yeah, it was great," Fang answered.

"Max, I missed you," Iggy said as he placed his elbow on my shoulder. He'd definitely grown over the holidays.

"Hello you guys saw her probably heaps in the holidays and I've been gone for six weeks," Fang said.

"Um, we didn't see her a lot, we didn't have any flock meetings," Gazzy informed him.

"What?" Fang asked as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Max insisted," Ella explained.

"Why?" Fang asked me with questioning eyes.

"It just wouldn't have been the same without you," I shrugged. Fang didn't say anything, he didn't need to I could see the warmth fill up in his dark and mysterious eyes. After a moment of silence Fang finally spoke.

"You're now my favourite," He joked.

"Oh, come on mate I missed you," Iggy complained.

"Why is Max your favourite?" Gazzy demanded.

"Because she missed me and wanted to see me and thinks I'm important," Fang explained probably a bit too seriously.

"So, Fang, Max, year seven this year are you guys excited?" Iggy asked us.

"Hell yeah!" Fang exclaimed.

"Um, yeah," I lied.

"Awesome," Iggy nodded. I could tell that he was going to drive us nuts this year. We went to walk to our new classes but Fang stopped me.

"Ok, what's wrong?" He demanded.

"Nothing," I lied.

"Max, what are you so nervous about?" Fang asked me.

"Fang…" I began.

"Max, you know I know you well enough. You can't lie to me," Fang gave me a cheeky know it all look.

"Fine, look we just got kind of close and now what happens after this year?" I confided in him.

"Hey, Max, its ok we'll pull through," Fang assured me and put a hand on my shoulder.

I couldn't believe it, it was the first day back and everyone was already talking about what high schools they're going to.

"Max, where are you going?" Iggy asked me.

"I have no idea," I shrugged.

"Me either, I think Fang does though," said Iggy.

"Yeah, I'm going to the Parks Secondary College," Fang added.

"Never heard of it." I told Fang.

"It's a really good school, you guys should check it out," Fang told Iggy and I. It would be really cool to go to high school with Fang and Iggy, I couldn't imagine going through school without them.

"I'll see what I can do," I smiled.

"Good!" Fang said enthusiastically.

"Do you want both of us or just your darling Max?" Iggy asked.

"Both of you and she's not my darling Max," Fang insisted.

"Oh, real nice!" I scoffed.

"No I didn't mean it like that… I just meant that he meant that we were but we're not we're different," Fang stuttered.

"Ok, ok you're starting to sound like Nudge," I laughed.

"Oh God," Fang gasped.

"Look what do you say this weekend we hang at Jeb's house?" Iggy asked me.

"Yeah it's my weekend with him anyways and he loves you guys… foolish him," I agreed.

"We'll celebrate the return of the flock since Fang was in Queensland and we could only talk through the phone," Iggy said and shot a look at Fang. I felt a pang of jealousy. I remembered how Fang had left just before I could give him my phone number and I had missed him like crazy.

He was someone who I could talk to when I was down and he was someone I could talk to and somehow he always knew how to make me feel better.

"You guys spoke on the phone right?" Iggy asked us.

"No," We replied with a tone of regret.

"Why?" Iggy asked.

"I never got her phone number," Fang told Iggy.

"I tried to give it to you after school but when I caught up you'd gotten in the car," I explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I should've asked you," Fang apologised.

"You did before you found out about my Dad, so it was my fault," I said to him.

"No, I should've asked again," Fang insisted.

"Um, hello I'm still here," I heard Iggy speak.

"Sorry, Ig," We apologised.

I suddenly remembered Iggy's behaviour when Fang and I first became friends. He had seemed jealous of the friendship between the two of us. The last thing that I wanted was to get in the middle of Fang and Iggy since they had been friends for a really long time.

At recess I decided to talk to Iggy about it.

"Iggy, can I talk to you?" I asked him. Fang looked at me in surprise along with the rest of the flock. I never asked to speak to Iggy.

"Ok, Max, what's going on?" Iggy demanded.

"I just wanted to make sure that you were ok with me and Fang," I told him.

"Yeah, why would that bother me?" Iggy asked me. I gave him a look that seemed to refresh his memory.

"Oh… look, Max, at first I was jealous but I'm fine now, I had just never seen Fang become so close to someone so quickly before. You make him happy," Iggy assured me. I gave a sigh of relief that made Iggy laugh.

We walked back to the flock who had gotten on with what they were doing except for Fang who was still looking at me weirdly. I noticed that Gazzy was having a nice conversation with Ella and that Nudge was glaring at Gazzy. I thought back to last year, the way Nudge used to look at Gazzy and something clicked. I didn't want to come to a conclusion just in case I was wrong but I was pretty sure that I wasn't.

Nudge and Gazzy were now in the same class as Fang, Iggy and I since they were now in year six and it was a year six and seven class (duh). I asked her if she wanted to come over and do our stupid title pages that we had to do for homework. Mrs. Smith was really into art so everything had to be pretty. If it wasn't pretty you lost marks. Yeah you can tell she really focuses on our education.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28- Nudge's trouble

**A/N **

**Hey everyone I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while I've been busy and I've had writers block. So here it is and don't forget that when you've finished to press the review button and review **

**YAY!**

When Nudge arrived we disappeared into my room. I was hoping that she would just blurt out what was going on so that I didn't have to ask in case I was wrong and I hate being wrong. Nudge was strangely quiet. She barely said a word and hello it's Nudge! Finally she spoke.

"Alright, Max, you didn't just ask me over to do our dumb title pages,"

"What's going on with you and Gazzy?" I blurted out.

"Nothing," She replied quickly.

"I saw you glare at him," I confessed. Nudge looked down at her paper and bit her bottom lip.

"Ok… you promise you won't tell a soul?" She asked me with trusting dark eyes.

"I promise," I promised her.

"I like Gazzy," She admitted,

"Then why were you glaring at him?" I asked.

"Because I was jealous that he was talking to Ella. It's not the first time, he used to be with me all the time and suddenly he changed to hanging out with Ella all the time," Nudge explained. She looked like she was about to cry.

"Oh,"

"I don't want to be jealous because they're both good friends and I don't want to start hating Ella. I think he likes her but I know that the both of you aren't allowed to date," She continued.

"Nudge, it'll be ok," I said as I placed a comforting arm around her shoulder.

I knew what it felt like to fall for someone you knew you could never have. I at least didn't have to torture of watching him like someone else that he was really close to. It did look like Gazzy could possibly like Ella and I felt sorry for him. Ella is terrific but she can't date. I was just grateful that I was over Fang.

"Do you know how long it's been since Gazzy even offered to buy me cheese?" Nudge cried. I was thankful that Ella wasn't home.

"No," I sighed.

"Even if I didn't like him it would still hurt because he kind of ignores me now." Gazzy didn't exactly ignore Nudge; it was just that he spent less time with her now. I could see how that would feel like being ignored since they were really close.

"So what are you going to do?" I asked her.

"I just have to move on, what else is there to do?" Nudge shrugged. I pulled her into a hug. It hurt to see her in so much pain.

"Max, thanks for asking me over so that you could pester me for information," Nudge thanked me. It was the weirdest thankyou I had ever received.

"No problem but I would tell him that you feel ignored," I suggested.

"I probably should," Nudge agreed.

The next day I saw Nudge talk to Gazzy but he didn't seem to be getting the message. Fang saw the look of frustration on my face and followed my gaze.

"What's going on over there?" Fang asked me. I explained that Nudge was feeling ignored but left out her feelings towards

"Oh no, I know that look, Max, stay out of it," Fang warned me.

"I can't," I whined.

"Yes, you can," Fang warned me. I saw Nudge quickly leave Gazzy shaking her head.

"Max, stay out of it," Fang warned me.

"I can't," I whined and I headed towards Gazzy.

"Gazzy!" I called.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"How dare you?" I demanded of him.

"What did I do? I'm not ignoring her," Gazzy told me.

"I know your not ignoring her, it's just that you're spending less time with her to spend time with someone else," I explained.

"Huh?" Gazzy asked me.

"You guys are close but suddenly while you don't ignore her you don't talk to her as much as you used to," I explained.

"You're right," Gazzy sighed.

"Duh, now go fix it," I insisted. Gazzy walked off and I returned to Fang.

"He's alive, it's a miracle!" Fang cried. I tapped him on the arm. I was against violence. Well at least I thought I should be. I didn't really know what I thought or believed. I think I mainly let everyone else tell me what to think. Mum always said hitting, even if it's joking is wrong.

"Shut up, Fang," I glared at him.

"So what did you tell him?" Fang asked me.

"I just told him that it only looked like ignoring because he doesn't really talk to her a lot anymore," I shrugged.

"Yes he does. He doesn't ignore her," Fang argued.

"Fang, you're a guy… I'm assuming so you wouldn't get the little things that make girls feel ignored ok, so it's best just to leave it." I sighed.

It was weird Fang and I were so different, he was cut off and had a bit of a temper (thinking back to the incident with the cricket bat) and I was emotional and liked to talk about how I felt. Yet we got along so well. Mum liked Fang but she wasn't happy that people thought we were dating. She said that if they thought that we must've been doing something to make them think like that.

It never occurred to her that sometimes people were just immature, when I pointed this out and she said that they never thought it about me and Iggy. I informed her that while I was close to Iggy I was a lot closer to Fang. Yeah that didn't work when she said that that was her point.

I watched as Nudge finally turned to speak to Gazzy I could see in her deep chocolate eyes she was hurt. I couldn't hear what Gazzy was saying but after a couple of minutes her face softened and she eventually smiled at him. He dropped his head in what looked like an apology and I smiled happily to myself.

"She this is what happens when I get involved," I grinned to Fang.

"It could've gone the other way, Max," Fang warned me.

"But it didn't," I smirked.

"But it could've,"

"But it didn't,"

"But it could've,"

"Alright, alright break it up," Iggy suddenly appeared and stepped between me and Fang.

"What are you two arguing about now?" Ella sighed.

"Them two," We replied in unison as we pointed at Nudge and Gazzy who were walking towards us.

"What did we do?" Nudge asked us.

"They're fighting over you," Ella told them.

"Max, I had no idea that you felt that way about me," Gazzy joked.

"Mum, how could you cheat on Dad?" Iggy demanded.

"Kill me!" I begged Fang.

"No, you're my favourite, remember," Fang reminded me.

"Yeah, um ok?" I answered.

"So why were you arguing?" Nudge asked me.

"We weren't, Fang just overreacted to a completely harmless situation," I explained.

"I didn't over react," Fang butted in.

"Yes you did," I insisted.

"I did not," He argued.

"You did to,"

"Did not,"

"Did to,"

"Did not,"

"Did to,"

"Did not,"

"Did to,"

"Guy's, guy's cut it out," Gazzy tried as Fang's and my voices got louder and louder and angrier.

"Seriously," Nudge agreed.

"You fight over everything," Ella sighed.

"Eh who cares it's not like they're serious or anything. They love each other," Iggy shrugged.

"We what?" Fang and I screamed. Fang and I turned to each other and began speaking at the same time again.

"Did you say something to Iggy? We don't do we? Wait do you? What are we on about? Should we just shut up? Phew," We asked each other together.

"You're sounding like me!" Nudge squealed.

"Oh brother," Fang sighed.

"Did you guy's hear about the new girl that's coming to school tomorrow?" Iggy asked us.

"Girl? I thought we were getting a boy?" I questioned.

"I heard it was a boy and a girl," Nudge pitched in.

"This conversation is freaking me out," Fang said as he stepped back.

"I guess we'll find out tomorrow," Gazzy shrugged.

"Yeah, Iggy wants a girl and Max wants a guy… hmm this could get interesting," Nudge smirked evilly.

"Never said I wanted a guy… I just said that I thought we were getting a guy," I insisted.

"Yeah," Iggy agreed.

"Well you agree on one thing and that is that we're getting a new student." Fang said and closed the argument.

I liked it when we got more students. It meant that there were more people to get to know and if you got them before they got in with kids like Mel then you were all good.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29- Lissa and Sam

**Hey I'm introducing Sam and Lissa but I can't remember what colour hair Sam has so I'm writing him as a blonde but if someone remembers than please tell me and I'll go and change it thanks.**

Of course when the next day arrived we all couldn't wait to get the new students in our class. We'd asked around and discovered that we were getting two new students and not just the one. Fang hadn't shown up yet so the seat next to me was empty.

"Alright, now we have two new students joining us today," Mrs. Smith smiled. A fairly pretty girl with red hair walked in accompanied by a kind of cute boy with blonde hair. He was taller than she was and I could tell by the look on their faces that they didn't know each other.

"Lissa and Sam are two new year seven students that are joining us," Mrs, Smith continued. "I want you to make them feel welcome,"

I noticed that the boy named Sam was looking at me with a small smile. He quickly came and sat in Fang's empty chair.

"Hi," He grinned.

"Hi," I smiled back.

"I'm Sam,"

"I'm Max," We shook hands and I didn't have the heart to tell him that he was in Fang's chair. Lissa went and sat in a seat in front of Nudge.

Fang walked in and apologised for being late. He turned around to find Sam in his seat. His face fell instantly and I felt a pang of guilt in my gut. I hadn't seen that look on Fang's face before he looked hurt.

"Fang…" I began. He turned and sat in a chair as far away from me as he could.

"Who's that?" Sam asked me.

"That's Fang, he's a friend of mine," I told Sam.

"He doesn't seem too happy,"

"Well it's nothing it's just that he normally sits here, but you didn't know that," I sighed.

"Oh, jeez, I'm sorry, tell him he can have his seat back after recess, it was just nice to sit next to a friendly face," Sam smiled. Iggy cleared his throat from next to me and I glared at him. "So who are these people?" Sam asked me.

"Friends that I'll introduce you to at recess," I explained.

At recess Lissa and Sam joined us. I guess that Lissa had been talking to Nudge a bit.

"Sam, this is Nudge, Gazzy, Iggy and Ella," I told him as I pointed at each one of them. "Where's Fang?" I asked Iggy.

"Um, that would be him angry in the shadows over there," Iggy whispered. I turned and saw Fang sitting under a tree. He looked dark in the shadows.

"I'll be right back," I assured Sam.

"Go away, Max," Fang growled as I reached conversational distance.

"Fang, I didn't mean to let him have your seat, he just sat there and I couldn't exactly to tell him to move. He said you could have it back after recess anyways," I sighed.

"Fine…" Fang grumbled.

"Now, stop being such a baby and come and play ball with us," I told him.

"Big baby!" Fang questioned me.

"Yes," I answered him.

"Oh, you'd better run, Martinez," Fang warned me.

"Come at me, Ride," I egged him on. Fang broke into a sprint and chased me back to the basketball courts.

"Um, is she ok?" I heard Sam ask Iggy.

"Yeah, this is normal for them," Iggy shrugged. I ran out of breath and stopped running.

"Truce, truce!" I gasped.

"Fine," Fang gasped.

"Sam, this is Fang, Fang, this is Sam," I introduced them as I was hunched over trying to catch my breath.

"Do you play ball, Sam?" Fang asked him.

"A little I guess," Sam shrugged.

"Um, Fang, this is Lissa, Lissa, this is Fang," Nudge quickly interrupted. There was a look in Lissa's eyes that made me feel uneasy.

"Fang, huh?" Lissa asked him.

"Ask Max about that one," Fang told her.

"Long, story his real name is Nick," I told her.

"Oh ok, and then you have Iggy, Gazzy and Nudge?" Sam asked me.

"Yeah sorry they're actually Ian, Ethan and Monique," I informed him.

"Ah ha," Sam and Lissa nodded slowly. We welcomed them into our friendship but not into the flock and yes before you ask there's a difference.

We didn't know them all that well… duh we'd only known them a day but agreed that we'd hang out with them. When Sam and Lissa weren't around we talked about what we'd do on the weekend at Dad's house. Ella and I were going to stay Friday and Saturday night and the rest of the flock including Angel were going to come over on Sunday. Well at least that was the original plan.

Ella soon decided to just come over on Sunday, she'd been spending a lot of time with Dad but she'd never stayed over and thought it would be nice for him to spend some time with me. I hadn't told anyone else this but Dad had recently bought a new horse for himself a beautiful chestnut Mare that he named Naray.

"Fang, are you going to get on a horse this time?" I asked him.

"I don't know, Max,"

"Come on, I'll tell you what come around on Saturday and we'll go for a ride," I insisted.

"You're not going to let this go are you?" Fang sighed.

"Nope," I grinned.

"Fine, I'll come around on Saturday… but what if I fall?" Fang agreed hesitantly.

"You won't, you'll be fine," I promised him.

"Fine, fine," Fang sighed.

I couldn't wait for the week to finish. Dad picked me up after school in his sleek sports car. I was glad nobody noticed.

"So why Sunday again?" Dad asked me.

"Because Nudge and Gazzy are hanging out together on Saturday and we couldn't really ask them to change it," I told Dad.

"So are Nudge and Gazzy a couple?" Dad asked me.

"No, just good friends but Nudge was mad at him and he was making it up to her," I explained quickly.

"Ah now what about you and that Fang fellow?" Dad asked.

"Dad you've already asked me about Fang and I've already told you no there is nothing between me and Fang… we are just friends," I insisted. I had never told anyone about my past crush on Fang, since I would never hear the end of it. I wasn't planning on Fang ever finding out either.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

As soon as we got to Dad's mansion I was greeted by my little brother Ari.

"Max!" He cried. I couldn't believe that he was turning three this year. Mum and Dad kept on moaning on how I was a teenager this year.

"Hello, Ari," I smiled and scooped him into my arms.

"Angel?" He asked suddenly. I looked at Dad with curiosity.

"He's been asking for her practically everyday," Dad explained.

"Aw, Ari, Angel isn't here today," I told him regretfully.

"Oh nuts," Ari sighed. I laughed at his new saying.

"He's been watching full house," Dad explained.

"Well, Angel is coming here on Sunday," I told Ari.

"Yay!" He exclaimed. I laughed as I put him down.

"How's Midnight?" I asked Dad as we walked into the house.

"He's been missing you but Nancy has been coming around and checking on him," Dad told me.

"Oh," I sighed. I liked Nancy even though I'd only met her once. I just didn't like the idea of _my_ horse becoming attached to someone else because I wasn't here often enough.

"Honey, Midnight loves you, go and see him," Dad assured me and gave me a kiss on the top of my head. I gave my Dad a hug and ran through the house.

I ran into the stables and said hello to Midnight. I wrapped my arms around his big neck. I felt his nose nuzzle my shoulder. I'd spent a lot of my holidays here with Midnight. I gave Naray a quick pat when Dad came up behind me.

"She rides well, care to give her a go?" Dad asked me.

"Sure," I grinned.

Midnight stamped his foot on the ground when he saw me mount on Naray he let out a grunt of disapproval.

"I'll be back soon," I assured him. I walked Naray out to the riding ring that Dad had recently put in place. Naray, was extremely gentle elegant as she moved.

I could hear Midnight kicking a fuss so I didn't really have much of a choice. I walked Naray back into the stables where Dad took over.

"Care to go for a ride together?" He asked me. I nodded and grabbed Midnights gear.

"Hey," I said smoothly to Midnight as I entered his stall. He backed into the corner and faced away from me.

"Oh come on, you can't be mad at me forever," I sighed. Midnight still refused to look at me. "Midnight, you're still my favourite," I assured him. His head slowly moved back towards me. "I'm sorry," That did the trick; he faced me and placed his face in my hand. I rubbed his white blaze and got him ready.

Dad and I went for a ride through the trails that were hidden at the back of the property.

"Seriously, you could explore this place for ever," I gasped. I still marvelled at how big his backyard was. One of the trails wound so far away from the house that you couldn't even see the house anymore.

"As long as you stick to the trails you won't get lost," Dad assured me.

"Stick to the trails, got it," I saluted him. The trails went into a wooded area as well as an open area.

Time went by quickly and we had to get back to Ari who'd been taking a nap. I sat in the stall with Midnight for a while just talking to him and looking at him. Ari soon joined me with Midnight and sat on my lap. Dad and I had both been teaching Ari little bits and pieces of riding. He was only two so he never went on his own. He couldn't grasp a lot so we mainly taught him where his feet went and to hold onto the saddle. Dad and I agreed that when he was three he could hold onto the reins as well and then when he was four he'd learn a bit more.

"Maxie, come watch a movie with me," Ari asked me in the cutest little voice that I just couldn't say no. I said goodbye to Midnight and walked Ari back into the house. We watched something childish in the cinema room. I watched it for Ari but my head was screaming 'make it stop, make it stop!

Ari curled up into a ball on my lap and fell asleep which meant I could turn off the movie or whatever insane torture this was.

"Sweetie, Nancy is coming for dinner is that alright?" Dad poked his head in.

"Um, yeah of course I like Nancy," I nodded.

"Good we'll be eating in the dining room to the left of the kitchen, the one with the mahogany table," Dad informed me.

"Dad, I don't have anything nice," I told him.

"Nonsense, what about you're black jeans and purple top that I bought you.

"Hmm, dinner at the mahogany table," I muttered to myself as he left.

Nancy arrived at six o'clock that night Dad had cooked a beautiful roast lamb and mouth watering roast vegetables. Ari couldn't eat this beautiful meal so he had some chicken and steamed vegetables.

"Max, how are you?" Nancy asked me with a smile.

"I'm good actually. Dad and I went for a ride earlier," I told her.

"I hear that you and Midnight are getting along quite well,"

"Well he was mad at me for riding Naray," I told her which made her laugh.

"Well I know that you've been taking good care of him," Nancy praised me.

"Hello, Nancy," Dad grinned and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Max will show you to where we'll be eating and I'll bring the food in," Dad told her. I led Nancy to the dining room on the second floor. Ari was already there in his little baby-chair.

"So, Max, how often do you come and stay here?" Nancy asked me.

"I sleep over every second weekend but I visit sometimes in between like if Mum's going to work late she'll have Dad pick both me and Ella up from school or from home," I answered her.

"So Ella's dad is where?" Nancy asked me.

"Mum got a sperm donor for Ella, she always knew she wanted two children and when she and Dad split up she decided to go to the sperm bank," I explained.

"Well good for her," Nancy grinned. I could see that she was happy with Mum's independence and courage. "I always knew your mother wouldn't wait for a man to fulfil her dreams,"

"Wait, you know my Mum?" I asked Nancy in shock.

"Didn't your father tell you?" Nancy asked me. I shook my head in disbelief.

"Oh well I met her in Uni with your Dad. The three of us were friends but I travelled for a little bit before starting my business and we lost contact after she and your Dad divorced," Nancy explained. "Tell her I say hi,"

"Ok," I shrugged.

I had never found out how Mum and Dad had met or why they even divorced. I had never bothered to ask.

"Oh, Jeb, this looks delicious," Nancy gasped as Dad brought the food in.

"Well this is a special occasion," Dad smiled at Nancy as he poured each of them a glass of champagne.

"You shouldn't have," Nancy moaned.

"Max, Nancy has just received permission to open a riding school," Jeb told me.

"Wait you aren't going to sell horses anymore?" I asked her.

"I don't know about that yet but I've always wanted to teach riding to children, your Dad is founding it since I didn't have the money on my own to start it off," Nancy smiled. "Max, I've seen you ride so I was wondering if you would like to help out sometimes,"

"Duh!" I exclaimed.

We spent the night talking and laughing. I couldn't wait for tomorrow when Fang was coming over and he was going to get on Naray whether he liked it or not.

Eventually I climbed up the stairs to the third floor and found my bedroom. I was so tired that I just fell onto my spongy bed and fell asleep.

"Max, Max, wake up!" A voice spoke to me. "Max, Fang will be here in twenty minutes and you're still in last nights clothes," I heard those words and jumped out of bed.

"I'm going, I'm going," I told Dad and ran into my bathroom.

I just got out the shower when Dad saw Fang's car pull up.

"Just tell him I'm in my room, by the time he finds it I'll be ready," I told Dad. It was a race against time. Hopefully my plan would work or Fang might walk in on something that neither of us wanted him to see.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

**A/N Hey I didn't know that I had to put a disclaimer thing up so I'm doing it now, I don't own Maximum Ride there I said it are you happy smurfywriter98? **

I quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and a top.

"Max?" I heard Fang call. I left my room and met him in the hallway. "There you are, I couldn't find your room,"

"You ready?" I asked him.

"I just got here, can't we wait a while?" He asked me.

"Nope, or you'll never do it," I insisted. I dragged him downstairs and out the back.

"How are we both going to ride on Midnight?" He asked me.

"We aren't" I smiled. I led him into the stables and showed him Naray. "You'll be riding on Naray today,"

"Uh huh, she wasn't here last time I was here," Fang realised.

"Really?" I asked sarcastically. I got Naray ready and led her out. Midnight started stomping his foot again.

"Midnight, I'm not riding her, he is," I explained to my super jealous horse.

I found Fang a helmet and helped him mount on Naray.

"Ok, you want to swing your leg over and sit down gently so you don't hurt her back," I instructed him. I adjusted the stirrups for him and told him how to hold the reins. "Ok now don't do it yet but to get her to move squeeze her with your heel. To turn her left pull the left rein to your left side. Don't yank it or you'll hurt her. Do the same to turn right. If you want her to stop just bring both reins into your stomach." I instructed him.

I noticed him shaking for a little bit so I placed my hand on his knee.

"Hey, you'll be alright," I smiled kindly and him. He gulped down a breath of air and nodded. "Alright, get her to walk," He gave her a slight squeeze but she didn't budge. "A little bit harder," This time she moved, slowly and steadily. We reached the edge of the ring and I told him to pull her right and then left when we got to the next corner. He was doing really well and seemed to be enjoying it.

"Ok, Fang, I'm going to let her go and I want you to keep walking around and steering her," I told him. We did some trotting as well and he picked it all up really quickly.

"I'm going to get Midnight and we can go on the trails," I called out as I headed back towards the stables. It didn't take me long to get Midnight read and we soon met Fang and Naray in the riding ring.

"You ok?" I asked Fang when I opened the gate.

"Yeah, I'm fine, this is actually fun," Fang replied. I got back onto Midnight and we headed up the trail side by side.

"So, um, Max," Fang began.

"Yeah?"

"How long have you been riding for?" Fang asked me.

"Dad first put me on a horse when I was two years old. I started to learn properly when I was about four so basically for most of my life," I answered him.

"You're really good," He complimented me.

"Thanks, you're pretty good yourself considering you've never been on a horse before,"

"Well I had a good teacher," Fang gave me one of his half smiles.

We went to the back of the property where we found a small lake.

"Come on we'll give them a rest," I told Fang as I jumped off of Midnight. I walked down the small hill and sat before the lake. It wasn't long before Fang joined me.

"Max?" Fang began. I turned my head and felt his eyes bore into mine. I couldn't tear myself away from them which was odd.

"Yeah?" I asked him slowly.

"Thanks for making me ride," He thanked me.

"You're welcome," I breathed. We stared into each others eyes silently when I broke the silence.

"Um, we should get back," I told him quickly. I jumped up and ran to Midnight. I almost thought I heard Fang sigh but I couldn't be sure.

I wanted to gallop all the way back but Fang would be stubborn (because he is) and follow me. He'd end up getting hurt. I don't even know what I was freaking out about, what was the big deal Fang thanked me and looked at me while he did. It didn't mean anything. I was over Fang so nothing was happening there.

"Max, are you ok you're acting a bit odd?" Fang asked me once we put the two horses in the paddock.

"Hmm? Yeah I'm fine, just got stuff on my mind," I shrugged.

"Come on we'll go and watch a movie," Fang said and he tugged my arm. We sat in the cinema room watching Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.

"I think it would be cool to be a wizard," Fang said suddenly.

"Yeah it would be but I wouldn't trust you with a wand," I scoffed. Fang poked his tongue back out at me and turned his attention back to the movie.

"What do you think of Lissa?" Fang asked me when the movie was finished.

"What? Oh I like her, she seems nice, maybe a bit crazy but still nice," I shrugged.

"Yeah, she seems kind of odd but she's ok," Fang agreed.

"Well what do you think of Sam?" I asked him.

"Hmph," Fang replied.

"Fang," I sighed.

"I don't know, Max, he seems alright but I think he's got a bit of a thing for you really,"

"Fang, he's just moved to school and in case you didn't realise I'm not the kind of girl that guys fall for," I rolled my eyes. "He's just friendly," I insisted.

"We'll see then," Fang muttered.

"They're not part of the flock are they?" I asked him.

"No, the flock is the seven of us and it always will be, it takes someone special to be apart of the flock," Fang assured me.

"Good, because while I like them… I don't know,"

"Well you don't need to, it's just the seven… well five for now but those two spots are reserved." Fang grinned at me. 

"Well I have to go but I'll see you tomorrow," Fang told me and with that he was gone. I liked spending time alone with Fang even though I'd never tell him that. I loved the rest of the flock but I don't know there was something different when it was just me and Fang.

I decided to go back and talk to Midnight but Dad called me.

"Max, can you come with me please?"

"Um, ok," I agreed. He led me back to the third floor and about five or six rooms away from my room he stopped. He opened the doors and the room looked similar to mine except it had brown furniture and the walls that were painted were purple. .

"This is going to be Ella's room when she decides that she wants to stay over sometimes," Dad told me.

"It looks great," I told him.

"I want to show it to her tomorrow, I've become quite fond of Ella but she still seems a bit cut off," Dad told me.

"Dad, Ella has never had a Dad before she's just still getting used to it but she'll come around just give her time and she'll ease into it," I assured him.

"Ok," Dad agreed.

"Good boy," I praised him.

The rest of the day flew by pretty quickly I helped Ari do a Bob the builder puzzle which brought back so many memories. I watched Full House with him and listened to him say Michele's name every time you saw her and considering she's one of the stars of the show he said it a lot. I couldn't wait for the next day when the flock would come over and we could cause all sorts of trouble.

**A/N So please review because I like your reviews.**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

That night when I entered my bedroom I had a look out of my window that showed the back of the house and the stable. While I couldn't see Midnight since I wasn't born with x-ray vision I still liked to look at the roof of the stable and know that he was there. I know I'm weird. I moved from the jutting out window to the tower. The tower didn't go anywhere I think it was just for decoration.

I stared out the window at the bottom of the tower and began to feel like a princess which was enough to make me throw up. There wasn't much space in my tower since there was a big wooden block thingy ma jig.

I went to leave the tower when I tripped up and fell against the wall. A hollow noise came from when my head hit the wall. 'That's odd' I thought to myself. I stared at the wall hoping something would happen but it didn't. Just before the wall was a series of bricks instead of the white wall plaster stuff. I put my hand on one of the stones while I examined the wall.

My hand slipped onto a different stone and I immediately noticed a difference in the feel. The first stone, felt like a real stone, kind of cold and hard but the second stone felt plastic. I looked at it hard for a minute and tapped it. It sounded kind of hollow. 'Ok I have definitely read one too many spy books,' I thought to myself again.

I pressed and prodded the stone and the cover slid off. It revealed a blue button. I decided to press it because I can't contain my curiosity. An electric whoosh came and I jumped back with a yelp as the wall thingy slid open and revealed a spiralling staircase. It was dark outside and I had no idea where this would go but of course I entered the secret passage. I took one glance back and headed slowly up the stairs. White lights were in the wall level with the top of each step which lit the way. I had no idea where I was going and I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my body.

I finally reached the top of the stairs and saw a door. I opened it and a cool breeze blew past me. I stepped out of the tower and saw the most amazing view. It took me a minute to register that I was on the roof.

"Cool!" I breathed as I took it all in. I had known that the roof was flat but I had never realised that you could actually get on the roof. I wondered if Dad had actually known about the passage since he'd never mentioned it.

I gazed of the rail and looked around. I headed back for the tower and headed down the stairs again. I closed the door and climbed into bed.

I wouldn't tell anyone about the passage, it would be my secret. It seemed fair enough my room, my secret. I couldn't sleep at all that night for my mind kept wondering about the tower. I got back out of bed and went for a walk. I found myself in the entryway but I noticed something that I'd never noticed before. A door that blended into the wall really well. I opened it and found a couple of bags and some coats. I could walk into the small closet and I found a sliding door at the back. I slid it open and it revealed a staircase. I climbed up even though I had no idea where I was going and I finally reached the top.

I slid open the door to the left of me and walked out. I found myself in the walkway on the third floor looking over the balcony right next to my room. "Huh," I said to myself. I walked back into my room. "Well this certainly makes things easier

It wasn't that I got lost it was just that it was so big. I don't even know why I thought there were so many corridors. There two main corridors on the first and second floor that went through the whole length of the house it had the rooms on either side. Every now and again there would be a hallway separating segments that stretched from the front to the back joining the two corridors The second floor had no rooms where the entryway was but it had a curved balcony where you could look down on the entry way. The third floor only had one main corridor because it had a balcony that went the whole length of the house and looked down on the first and second floor.

At ten o'clock the next morning I heard the front door shut which meant that the flock had arrived. I left my room slid the hidden door and ran down the stairs. I crept quietly into the closet and waited for a minute.

"So where's Max?" I heard Ella ask.

"No idea, she'll probably be coming down the stairs any minute now," Iggy answered her. I opened the door just a crack and saw them all facing the opposite direction. I chose that moment to quickly duck out and stand behind them.

"Max is right here," I told them. I tried to hold in my laughter as they all jumped and turned around.

"Jesus, Max, you scared me to death," Nudge gasped.

"But you're still alive," Iggy pointed out.

"No need to sound disappointed," Nudge scowled at him.

"I'm not disappointed I was just pointing out that Max didn't scare you to death," Iggy argued.

"Shut up, Iggy," We all told him in unison.

"So, Max, where did you come from?" Ella asked me.

"Don't worry, so what do you guys want to do first?" I asked them.

"Max, can I please ride Midnight, please. I love that horse," Nudge begged me.

"Yeah come on," I agreed.

Fang put Angel down after she kicked up a fuss after seeing Ari. They ran to each other and hugged. It was so cute. They disappeared somewhere.

"Ah, the flock is together just like the day we saw the birds," Gazzy sighed.

"Gaz, there were seven birds that day," Nudge remembered.

"So?" Fang asked.

"Fang, there are eight of us," I pointed out.

"Huh?" The two boys asked in unison.

"Yeah, there' Iggy, Ella, Nudge, Gazzy, you, me, Angel and Ari," I listed them.

"Oh… whoops," The boys realised.

"Oh well we'll just say that one of the birds was lost since there were seven of us in the house at the time," Gazzy replied quickly. None of us could argue with that as we continued to the stables so we just agreed.

We did the usual rotation of riding Midnight, soon we'd get to the point where I wouldn't have to supervise they could just ride on their own. I only wished that Dad had maybe say six more horses and that way we could go on real rides like Fang and I had done the day before. We did the usual thing of heading back to the house and getting ready to go into the pool.

The others went to the pool but Dad called me and Ella aside.

"Ella, I want to show you something," Dad told her.

"Ok, what?" She asked curiously. Dad and I led her up the stairs to the third floor and stopped in her room. Dad opened the door and Ella's mouth dropped open.

"Just in case you decide you ever want to stay," Dad told her.

"This is mine?" She breathed.

"All of it, I hope you like it. I know that you like purple," Dad smiled at her.

"Thank you so much!" She turned and wrapped her arms around him. "I love it,"

"Good, of course this doesn't mean you have to stay, it's just in case," He assured her.

"I know," Ella nodded.

"Right, well I'll leave you to it," Dad told us and left the room.

Ella flopped down onto her new bed and sighed.

"Why would he do this for me?" Ella asked me.

"He cares about you, Els," I told her.

"But you're his daughter not me," Ella reminded me.

"That doesn't matter to him he did this for you because he cares for you. Now let's go and join the others before Iggy and Gazzy blow something up," I told her.

"Uh oh," Ella realised and raced down to the pool.

Thank god on our way down there were no loud bangs and they all seemed to be having fun.

"Ah, they return," Fang joked.

"Yes… mwahaha," I cackled.

"Well are you coming in or not?" Fang asked me.

"I don't know," I shrugged.

"I do," He smirked.

"Wha…" I began before I screamed and jumped back. Fang splashed me with a whole lot of water. "You're so dead!" I screamed at him.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

I jumped into the water and chased after Fang. Of course everyone steered clear while Fang and I screamed and splashed each other.

"I don't see why you guys splash each other for revenge… you're in a swimming pool and you're already wet!" Gazzy pointed out.

"Oh," Fang and I realised at the same time.

"Yeah dude, it's when she's dry that you want to push her in," Iggy told him.

"Hey!" I exclaimed in disapproval.

"What?" Iggy asked me.

"I normally get Fang but I can swap to you just as easy!" I warned him.

"Fang, leave her alone what did she ever do to you?" Iggy suddenly changed his mind.

"Thanks a lot, Ig, I thought you had my back," Fang scoffed.

"Hey you said that Max was your favourite," Iggy pointed out.

"Well I didn't hear you saying that it wouldn't be the same without me," Fang reminded him.

"Is it just me or are Fang and Iggy beginning to sound like they're married?" Gazzy asked the rest of us.

"No they sound like they're married," Nudge, Ella and I all said together.

"Thought so," Gazzy nodded.

"Come on let's leave them here and go watch a movie," Nudge requested.

"Nah, we'll go and play pool and wait for them to join us, tease them excessively and then watch a movie," Ella suggested.

"Yeah that idea is better," Nudge agreed.

We slipped out of the pool, dried off and headed to the pool room (as in the game) on the first floor. By the time we got there Iggy and Fang still hadn't joined us. Nudge played against Ella while Gazzy and I watched. Gazzy spent most of his time gazing at Ella and my heart went out to Nudge who seemed to notice.

It was a good ten minutes before Iggy and Fang found us.

"What are you guys doing here?" Iggy demanded.

"We couldn't stand to see you fight like that, we thought maybe your marriage would be over," Gazzy joked.

"Oh come on we weren't that bad," Fang protested.

"Are you kidding me? You sounded like you were fighting with Max!" Ella laughed.

"What so Max and I sound like we're married?" Fang demanded.

"Basically," Iggy, Nudge, Ella and Gazzy agreed.

"Hey!" I exclaimed.

"Sorry, Max, but it's true." Nudge grimaced.

"Fine," Fang and I grumbled.

"So, Fang, first you were married to Max and now you're married to Iggy?" Gazzy checked.

"Oh, Fang, I feel so unloved," Iggy gasped.

"Why should you feel unloved?" Ella demanded.

"Because, I was the second choice!" Iggy cried.

"This is getting annoying," Fang sighed.

"Alright you've had your fun now let's go watch a movie or something," I commanded them all.

I herded them up the stairs and to the cinema room I chucked in the second Harry Potter film since I couldn't think of anything else and sat on the lounge in the fifth row. I was soon joined by Nudge and Ella. The boys sat in the bean bags. Well they piled them up on top of each other and argued over whose tower was taller. Boys could be so stupid sometimes.

I didn't really pay attention to the movie I was thinking about Midnight and what it felt like to ride him. To feel like I'm flying like one of those birds in the flock, like I had my own pair of wings. I began to think of the whole flock with wings. Not small dainty ones but big powerful but elegant ones. Nudge of course would have tawny brown wings to match her brown skin. Fang would have black wings of course, Gazzy would resemble a barn owl, looks cute and sweet but secretly deadly hence his nickname. Angel would remind me of well an Angel with wings as pure as the freshly fallen snow. Ari well I could just imagine him with giant wings and clumsily flying through the air. I seemed to imagine myself with wings of different shades of brown. Iggy seemed to be a mystery I was almost blind as to what his wings would look like. I imagined them similar to Gazzy's but lighter in shade. Ella didn't seem to have wings but yet she seemed like her strengths would be on the ground.

Maybe fang was right in the sense that while we were a flock of eight there were only seven in the sky. If Ella did have wings though, they would probably be a brownish red colour with white spots. I imagined the birds but replaced their bodies with our own. I imagined us soaring at unimaginable heights feeling the wind through my hair and gazing at the world below.

"Max! Max!" I heard a voice call to me from somewhere far away. I slowly zoned back into reality and the voices became clearer.

"Max!" Ella called me.

"Huh?" I asked.

"The movie's finished. Did you even watch it?" Iggy asked me.

"I must've zoned out." I shrugged.

"Are you ok?" Fang asked me cautiously.

"Yeah, I'm fine just a bit out of it. I started imagining all of us with wings," I explained. I relayed my thoughts to them and watched them as they listened to me.

"Hey, you know it would be so cool if you could turn thoughts into reality. OMG if that were true I would have a house made of cheese! But then I would eat it and I wouldn't have a place to live and then I'd be homeless and have to live on the street and I would look dirty and have to beg for money and people would scream when they saw me coming and then you lot wouldn't recognise me so when I came to you for refuge you would just turn you backs on me and shut the door. Aaaaaahhhhhhh!" Nudge screamed and fell back onto the couch.

"Nudge, how is this related to us having wings?" Iggy asked her as he rubbed his forehead.

"I don't know bu…" She began before Gazzy clamped his hand over her mouth.

"Thank you!" We all thanked Gazzy and laughed at Nudge trying to speak but Gazzy had a firm hold on her.

Eventually Gazzy released Nudge and went to walk with Ella. I saw Nudge's face fall almost instantly.

"You ok?" I asked her when the boys and Ella got ahead.

"Yeah, I'll get used to it, he's a friend and nothing is ever going to happen. I'll get over it," Nudge shrugged. She seemed convincing. She knew she had to get over Gazzy, I just wished that Gazzy knew the same about Ella.

"Max, do have any board games?" Iggy asked me.

"Wait, do you mean that Mr. Cool wants to play a board game?" I asked. He poked his tongue out at me and glared. "I think that we have monopoly in the top lounge," I told him. I found monopoly and the five of us convinced Fang to come and play with us which wasn't easy.

It wasn't long before Ella and Nudge were in the lead which wasn't fair. Iggy was coming last and Fang, Gazzy and I were all around the same. We had no hope of catching the girls up since they guarded their money with their life. We didn't get to finish the game since everyone's parents came to come and get them including my Mum.

We met them in the entryway and they all had their mouths wide open and their eyes almost popping out of their heads. Mum was having a nice conversation with Dad and the other parents.

"So um how long have you lived here?" Nudge's Mum Natalie asked Dad.

"Just over a year," Dad smiled proudly.

"Well it's quite impressive," Iggy's mum Claire gasped.

"Thank you, feel free to pop around at any time," Dad invited them.

"Thanks," Claire, Paul, Natalie and Gazzy's Dad Steve thanked Dad. 

The flock left quickly and that just left Ella, Mum and I.

"Mum, I want to show you Midnight," I requested with a big smile.

"Alright," Mum agreed. I led her out the back of the house and to the stable. We walked in and I managed to get Midnight to come forward.

"Jeb, you've outdone yourself," Mum gasped.

"Val, you know she's always wanted a horse," Jeb pointed out.

"Oh, Mum that reminds me, Nancy says hi," I remembered. Mum looked shocked.

"Nancy?" She asked looking at me, she turned her face to Dad. "As in Nancy?"

"Yeah, I bought Max's horse from her," Dad explained.

"You mean you got in touch with her?" Mum demanded.

"Yeah, for a few years now," Dad shrugged. I saw a dark look come across Mum's eyes.

"El, let's go wait in the car," I whispered to Ella. We quickly snuck off. We didn't get far when Mum came storming out of the stables.

"Val!" Dad called.

"Don't you Val me!" Mum yelled. "How could you not tell me that!" Mum cried.

"Val, please," Dad tried.

"Don't, come on girls you've got school in the morning," Mum sighed.

I was officially confused, I gathered from Nancy that she and Mum had been friends but this was bizarre. Ella and I got into the car silently.

"I'm sorry about that girls, I shouldn't have done that in front of you," Mum apologised.

"It's ok, honestly," I assured her.

"Confusing but ok," Ella agreed. We spent the rest of the ride in mostly silence, leaving me to ponder over what just happened.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

"Hey, Max, how are you?" Sam asked me basically as soon as he saw me the next morning.

"I'm fine," I shrugged.

"How was your weekend?"

"It was good," I nodded.

"So are we still playing basketball today?" Sam asked me eagerly.

"Um, yeah I think that it's just what we do," I nodded.

"Hey, um I wanted to ask you something," Sam began.

"Ok, sure go ahead," I told him.

"What's the deal with you and Fang?" Sam asked me quickly.

"What do you mean?" I ask back.

"Like are you two going out or something?" Sam explained.

"Oh, no we're just friends," I assured him.

"And is that the same with Gazzy and Iggy?" Sam checked.

"Yeah," I assured Sam. "Why?" I asked.

"Oh, I was just curious since you spend a lot of time with them," Sam pointed out to me.

"Ok, well there's nothing," I promised.

It wasn't long before everyone else showed up.

"Hey, Max, hey, Sam," Iggy smiled. Eventually Lissa showed up.

"Hey everyone hi, Fang," She grinned. I noticed that Fang got his own special greeting with Lissa.

"Um hi, Lissa," Fang replied a bit nervously. What was all that about anyways. Saying hi to Lissa should be the same as saying hi to any other girl, why was Lissa so different? Was there something going on between them? They'd only just met so it was impossible. Besides Fang wouldn't have a thing for Lissa anyways and, why am I freaking out over nothing?

"So, Fang, what did you do this weekend?" Lissa asked him. "I only ask because last week you said you were busy,"

"Oh, um I hung out at Max's place," Fang told her.

"Oh, ok," Lissa smiled but she seemed a little disappointed.

The whole day Lissa tried to cling to Fang and Sam tried to cling to me, we could hardly even talk to each other all day. I convinced myself that they just wanted to be with friends.

That day Ella and I got home from school and went straight to our rooms to do our homework. At about three thirty the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Mum called out.

I heard the front door open and Mum gasp.

"What are you doing here?" Mum asked.

"Can we talk?" asked a sweet voice that I recognised as Nancy's.

"Um, ok sure come in," Mum replied. I could hear he shock in her voice. "It's not as big as Jeb's but…" Mum began.

"It's lovely, Val," said Nancy.

I stopped doing my homework and pressed my ear against the wall trying to listen.

"Jeb, told me about your little disagreement yesterday," Nancy began.

"Little disagreement?" Mum checked.

"Ok, fight," Nancy corrected herself. "Val, I…"

"You didn't call!" Mum suddenly exclaimed.

"I know I…"

"We were so close and then as soon as I divorced Jeb I didn't hear from you anymore," Mum sighed.

"Valencia, listen!" Nancy demanded. I didn't mean to lose contact with you and in fact until a couple of years ago I didn't have contact with Jeb either. You know I went travelling when you and Jeb first separated and that I wasn't going to be back. You know how clumsy I was, well one day I dropped my phone in a stupid river and I lost all of my old phone numbers. By the time I found my address book, you had changed your number and your address," Nancy explained.

"I lost contact with Jeb as well and then one day by chance we ran into each other, he never mentioned you and I didn't know how much you had to do with each other. I know I should've asked how I get in touch with you but I didn't and for that I'm sorry. I actually thought that Jeb told you and you didn't want to see me," Nancy finished.

"So really I can blame everything on Jeb?" Mum asked suddenly.

"I guess so," Nancy shrugged. I didn't hear the rest of the conversation but a few minutes later I heard Nancy and Mum laughing which told me I could now exit my room and keep on living.

"Hi, Nancy," I said cautiously.

"Oh, hi, honey," Nancy smiled at me.

"Mum, I'm just grabbing a drink," I told Mum.

"Do you want to go out and grab something?" Mum asked me.

"Huh?" I asked.

"I know a great place for coffee," Nancy said to Mum.

"Alright, Max, get Ella we're going out," Mum instructed me.

"Ella, come on we're going out!" I called out to her.

"I meant GO and get her not stand here and yell at her," Mum sighed.

"Oh, whoops, I'll remember that for next time." I said with a cheeky grin.

Nancy drove us to a little coffee shop by a lake.

"Here we are, have anything you want on me," Nancy offered.

"You don't have to do that," Mum told her.

"Val, let me," Nancy begged.

"Fine," Mum sighed. We grabbed a table and Ella and I just had some chips and an iced chocolate each.

"So Max bought her horse from you?" Ella asked.

"Yes, that's right," Nancy nodded.

"And Jeb bought his horse from you?" Ella continued.

"Yes he did, both excellent horses and they always did get along," Nancy told Ella.

"And, you're opening a riding school?" Ella asked her.

"Yes, it should be open in about four months," Nancy told us proudly.

"That's awfully quick if you just told Jeb," Mum pointed out.

"Oh, I didn't really need permission, Jeb just said that because he could, I basically had just figured out how to run it. I'm using the same property and keeping the horses the same basically I just need to hire a couple of instructors but I'm going to start off small but Jeb loaned me the money to buy some horses and to start off. I'll pay him back one day." Nancy explained.

"Well that makes a lot more sense," Mum nodded.

"Well I've got a spare barn that I want to fix up and that's what's going to take so long," Nancy added. "I've got to do some cleaning up this weekend,"

"Do you want some help?" Mum asked her.

"Would love some," Nancy smiled. "But I'm warning you it's a big job,"

A plotting smile crawled across my lips.

"Max?" Mum asked me.

"I think I know where we can get some extra hands," I smirked.

"Oh no," Ella groaned.

"Time to call the flock," Ella made one of those heroic trumpet noises and received a glare from me.

I couldn't believe that it was only Monday and I still had the rest of the week to go. The flock didn't have a choice, they were all helping out with this.

"Nancy, call Jeb and tell him you need him on Saturday," Mum smiled.

"Will do," Nancy agreed and saluted Mum.

**DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! Pwease**


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Fang, Gazzy, Iggy, Nudge get over here!" I commanded the flock the next morning.

"Your highness called us," Fang teased me.

"Are any of you busy this week?" I asked them.

"Max, its Tuesday we don't have plans," Gazzy pointed out.

"Well you do now," I smiled.

"Are we hanging out at the mansion again?" Iggy asked hopefully.

"No, we're working," I corrected him.

"Working!" Nudge, Gazzy, Iggy and Fang exclaimed in disbelief.

"Nancy is cleaning up so that she can get ready to open her horse centre and we're helping her," I explained.

"Was there a please in there somewhere?" Iggy asked me.

"You really wanna go there?" I dared him.

"So Saturday or Sunday?" He quickly asked.

"That's what I thought,"

"Alright fine," Gazzy sighed.

"Whatever," Fang shrugged.

"Count me in!" Nudge squealed with excitement.

So it was settled the flock (excluding Ari and Angel) were going to help out on the weekend. Damn I'm good.

"Hi, Max," David said to me which was weird because David never talks to me.

"Um hi," I said back. He smiled at me and walked away.

"Hey, Max!" Sam said cheerfully.

"Hey, Sam," I smiled.

Once again as soon as Lissa walked up Fang seemed to get really nervous. I couldn't understand it so at recess I decided to interrogate him.

"What the hell is that?" I demanded of Fang.

"Ok, Max, I can't answer you unless I know what you're talking about," Fang pointed out.

"You getting all nervous whenever Lissa is around," I glared at him.

"Max, wouldn't you? She sticks to me like glue," Fang pointed out. "I mean she's nice and everything but she's clingy,"

"Oh ok," I shrugged and went to walk off but Fang had a hold of my arm.

"No, no, no just a minute there Martinez, why did you want to know anyways?" Fang demanded.

"I don't know I was curious, you know me," I shrugged.

"It's more than that," Fang told me.

"Who knows Fang, now let go of me!" I demanded.

"Ok, ok fine," Fang obliged and released me from captivity.

I wasn't jealous I was over Fang I was just worried about him and curious. Lissa seemed nice enough, maybe a little overbearing but nice. Fang would no what he was doing… who am I kidding? Fang was the most oblivious person that I knew especially when it came to girls.

As Fang and I went to join the flock David came up behind me and put his arm around me. Fang's eyes almost popped out of his head and I was speechless. Before I could even say anything though he'd let me go and disappeared. It wasn't long before Sam came up to me and did the same thing.

"Whoa, no touchy," I informed him as I spun out of his arm and I swear I saw Fang smile with relief. Sam looked at me in shock and Fang and I burst out laughing.

"What's so funny and why don't I know about it?" Nudge asked us.

"Oh nothing," I told her.

"I'll tell you later," I heard Fang whisper to her and I couldn't help but smile.

Sam stayed by my side all day and while he did that Fang distanced himself from me.

"Fang, are you ok?" I asked him after school.

"Just fine," Fang told me through gritted teeth.

"Fang…"

"I've got to go, I'll see you tomorrow," Fang told me and walked off.

"Fang," I called out but he ignored me.

I head Iggy come up behind me.

"What was that all about?" I asked Iggy desperately.

"I thought you were the one that had him all figured out," Iggy pointed out.

"Don't start!" I snapped.

"Max, Fang hasn't been able to get near you for two days," Iggy said as if it were obvious.

"That's not true," I disagreed.

"Max, think about it Sam is always with you, I'm not saying it's your fault but it seems that Sam likes you and sees Fang as a threat," Iggy suggested.

"Iggy, that's just ridiculous," I scoffed.

"I'm just telling you what I see and what I'm seeing is Sam trying to get Fang out of the way, all I'm saying, Max, is keep an eye out," Iggy warned me.

"Iggy, Sam's known me for not even a week," I reminded him.

"Max, I'm a guy and whatever you're not going to believe me anyway," Iggy sighed.

"Alright I'll keep an eye out but Sam is just a friend, Ig," I agreed.

"Ok, I trust you," Iggy shrugged.

When Ella and I got home I decided I needed to talk to Mum about my problem.

"Mum, I need advice," I sighed.

"Ok, hun, what's up?" Mum asked me.

"Well there's this new guy at school, Sam and he seems nice but both Fang and Iggy think that he likes me. Sam spends a lot of time with me and I think he's unintentionally pushing Fang out and then Iggy told me to be careful and keep a look out," I explained.

"Honey, I think you're getting worked up over nothing, yes Fang could be being pushed out a bit but these things happen when people come into a group. I don't know Sam it's possible he likes you and it's possible that he doesn't and just wants a friend. Give it a bit and see what happens," Mum suggested.

"You're right, what's the big deal? In fact there's really nothing to be worried about," I agreed.

I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders and I felt like I could breathe again. I quickly ran around to Fang's house after realising that he took one of my books.

I walked in the house and once again by the time Fang came around the corner and spotted me I had Angel in my arms.

"I knew you'd come," Fang said when he saw me.

"What no 'Max'?" I asked mimicking Fang's shocked voice.

"I have one of your school books and there's no way that you're going to go a night without finishing your homework," Fang pointed out to me.

"Alright, wait did you take my book on purpose?" I demanded.

"Um," Fang began.

"Fang!" I exclaimed in horror.

"Max, don't get mad I wanted to talk to you," Fang tried to calm me down.

"Ok," I put Angel down and folded my arms waiting for him to start yapping.

"Do you like Sam?" He blurted out.

"What? Fang, you know I don't!" I told him in horror.

"I know I know it's just he's always around you," Fang pointed out.

"Fang, he's new he probably just wants a friend to hang out with," I said rubbing my temples. "Jeez, you and Iggy are a couple of girls,"

"I'm sorry," Fang apologised.

"Fang, listen to me nothing is going on with me and anyone!" I said firmly.

"I know," Fang sighed.

"Now, can I please go home and do my homework?" I begged.

"Don't you want a drink?" Fang asked.

"Fang, you want me to stay don't you?" I asked him as I eyed him curiously.

"Would you?" Fang asked desperately.

"Ok, come on we'll go and do our homework," I agreed. Fang rolled his eyes when I mentioned doing homework. "Hey you want me here then deal with the consequences,"

"I know, it's who you are and you're awesome," Fang grinned.

"Okay then," I agreed slowly. Fang was officially weirding me out. It was like someone had given him a brain transplant.

We did our Maths homework and I had Angel on my lap who had her stuffed bear in a tutu on her lap and her left fingers in her mouth. I'm normally the smart one but Maths was one of Fang's strengths so he had to help me out with long division which I didn't think I would ever understand with all the dropping of the numbers and the weird arrows thingys. I was good at Maths but my strengths lied in English and Art.

"Max, we've been doing homework for half an hour already can't we stop?" Fang begged.

"We have to finish besides we have two questions left," I pointed out. Another couple of minutes and we were finished.

"See was that so hard?" I asked him with a pouty face.

"Yes!" Fang said stubbornly.

"God you're a sook," I groaned.

"I am not!" Fang argued.

"You are to," I insisted.

"Not,"

"Are,"

"Not,"

"Are,"

Whilst Fang and I were arguing about something that I was obviously right about I heard Jane walk in the front door.

"I take it Max is here," I heard her ask Paul.

"Yeah, you can tell?" Paul laughed.

"Well he'd better keep her is all I can say," Jane told him. I stopped listening to their conversation and focused on wining the already obvious argument.

"Are to,"

"Am not!"

"Are to," Angel agreed. Fang gaped at her while I smiled at her and gave her a hug.

"There the toddler has spoken, I knew I liked this kid," I grinned.

"Traitor," Fang growled.

"Fang, be nice to your sister, because I really have to get going but um thanks for your help and next time don't take my things just so I will have to go and get them," I requested.

I kissed Angel on the cheek and said goodbye to Fang, Jane and Paul and headed home.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

**Hey XX FAXNESS XX I just wanted to say don't worry the major Fax will come but I didn't want it to just be a snap of my fingers and it's there I wanted it to come overtime so you could kinda see it develop. I just want to remind everyone that they're still 11 and 12 (Fang is almost 12) so I think it would be a tad inappropriate to have a lot of Fax just yet.**

For the rest of the week I took a point of noticing that Lissa tried to get to know all of us and began to leave her security blanket known as Fang. On the other hand Sam was clinging to me more than ever and Nudge started shooting me weird looks.

Finally Saturday came and with that came what I'd been looking forward to for the whole week. We all meet at Nancy's property ready to work well four of us were ready to work. Fang and Iggy were still half asleep. I introduced them all to Nancy and we headed off to the barn she wanted to use. I couldn't believe it when I saw it yeah it was big but it was a pigsty. Old hay, wooden crates, wooden this and wooden that, spider webs, dirty windows, broken doors and basically a whole lot of mess.

Nancy gave us all a thick pair of gloves as we spread out trying to pick up the crates. Under a couple of the crates were a few tires that Fang and I began to wheel out. We got outside the door when I saw Dad's UTE pull up with the horse trailer in tow. I heard the familiar whinny and a huge smile broke out across my face.

"Dad, Midnight!" I squealed and let go of the tire.

"Ooof" I heard Fang say as I let go of the tire.

I ran to the horse trailer and opened it instantly. I led Midnight out and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Terrific I've been replaced by a horse," Dad complained.

"Sorry," I winced and hugged my Dad.

"Max, some helped over here?" Fang grunted as he struggled to hold up the big tire.

"Oh whoops sorry, Fang," I apologised and ran over to help him.

"Yeah thanks," He grunted.

We wheeled it over to the rubbish pile and I ran back to Midnight. I walked him to the entrance of the barn/shed thingy.

"Max, are you going to help?" Ella asked me.

"I'm taking care of Midnight, I'll be in in a minute," I grinned. The next thing I knew I felt Midnight's nose digging into my back pushing me forward.

"Ok, ok I get the message," I glowered at Midnight and grabbed a crate.

Iggy continuously checked his hair every time someone came anywhere near his head. Fang and I smirked at each other each knowing what the other was thinking. Fang nodded at me and disappeared.

"Hey, Ig, can you help me with something outside?" I asked him.

"Yeah sure," Iggy agreed so un-expecting of what was coming. I led him outside to the huge pile of rubbish that used to.

"So what do you need help with?" Iggy asked as he ran his fingers through his reddish blonde hair.

"Oh, it's just that thing over there, can you see it?" I told him. He turned around and I gestured to Fang.

"Max, seriously what do you need help with?" Iggy asked.

"Oh that thing over there and it needs to go over there or maybe over there," I replied vaguely. I helped Fang lift the bucket silently over Iggy's head. With a quick pour Iggy was drenched and his perfect hairstyle was well ruined.

We left the bucket on Iggy's head and ran for it. We raced back to the barn and quickly grabbed a couple brooms and started acting naturally.

"What are you two up to?" Nudge asked us.

"Nothing," We lied together. We tried to stifle our laughter when we heard someone yell out our names.

Iggy came storming into the barn with his sopping wet hair in his eyes.

"Whoa, dude, what happened to you?" Gazzy asked him, trying not to laugh.

"Ask them!" Iggy demanded with an accusing finger in Fang's and my direction.

"Well, Iggy, we thought you wanted to be the cool one in the group," I explained to him trying not to laugh.

"Max, this isn't funny!" Iggy complained.

"It's kind of funny," Nudge laughed.

"You two are so dead!" Iggy warned us through gritted teeth.

"Iggy, don't be a girl it's just hair, you're making Max seem like a guy the way you're carrying on," Ella told him. Suddenly we didn't hear another word out of Iggy.

I saw Mum and Dad talking quietly in the corner. Mum was looking grim.

Eventually after Dad said something she smiled and they hugged. I felt a wave of warmth and then almost as quickly as it had come it became a wave of emptiness filled with false hope and promises.

"Hey, Max, are you alright?" Nudge asked me.

"Just look at them, they're so happy," I sighed.

"Max, your parents divorced for a reason, maybe they're just better making it work as friends," Nudge shrugged.

"Your right, I can't even remember them together but I look at them and I can't think of why they divorced," I sighed.

"Why did they divorce?" Nudge asked me.

"I never found out," I shrugged. "Come on let's clean the windows,"

We had gotten rid of all the rubbish and cleaned the windows by one thirty so Nancy made us stop and go have lunch. She had a couple of roast chickens, some chips, green salad, pasta salad, coleslaw, dimsims and drinks, it was a feast. I dove in quickly so I could grab a leg which was my favourite part of a chicken. Nudge grabbed a wing chips and pasta salad. I only noticed because she was sitting right next to me.

"Iggy, you seem to be a lot dryer," Gazzy pointed out to him.

"Shut up, Gazzy," Iggy growled.

"Aw, Iggy, you can get revenge on Max and Fang later," Ella assured him.

"I just can't believe that my own parents did that to me," Iggy cried.

"Are we still going on about that?" I groaned.

"Yes," Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy and Ella all answered.

"We will get revenge on you lot." Fang promised them.

We ate our lunch in peace and then let our food settle. We all assumed that it meant that we were going back outside to the shed thingy. We got ready to go back out.

"Where are you lot going?" Nancy asked us.

"To the shed to clean," Ella told her.

"You've done enough for today, Val and Jeb are going to finish but I have something planned for you," Nancy smiled at us.

We followed Nancy outside and to the stables.

"You didn't have to come in on your weekend but you did so I wanted to treat you to something," Nancy told us again. As we walked in six horses were lined up. "Nudge, here you have the dark brown one, her name is Coco," Nudge walked up to Coco and patted her on the forehead.

"Hey, girl," Nudge whispered softly as she stared into Coco's huge eyes.

"Ella, over here you have Blaze," Nancy pointed Ella to the liver chestnut horse standing next to Coco.

"Aw, he's beautiful," Ella cooed.

"Gazzy, I think you're on, Dusty she's over there next to Ella," Nancy ticked Gazzy off and watched him walk up slowly to the dapple grey horse. She had warm and gentle brown eyes.

"Iggy, you have this young girl over here," Nancy walked him over to a beautiful palomino. "Her name is Sandy,"

"Hey, Sandy," Iggy said to the horse in his I'm super cool and you're lucky to have me voice.

"And I believe that that leaves Fang. Fang you're on Asher," Nancy told him and brought him to a jet black mare. I couldn't believe it they were all on horses that matched their wing colour when I imagined us with wings.

"Max, go and get Midnight and his tack," Nancy instructed me. I did as I was told and ran off to get Midnight who was no longer a colt but a gelding since he was now five years old.

"Come on boy I think we're going for a ride," I told him. He whinnied at me happily and followed me to the barn. I didn't even have to lead him he just followed me as I held his tack. So everyone had a horse that matched their wing colour except for me but I wouldn't trade Midnight for the world.

I quickly tacked up Midnight and put my helmet on. I mounted him and watched everyone else do the same.

"Ok how many of you have ridden a horse before?" Nancy asked us.

"We all have, Max got us to ride Midnight," Iggy told her.

"Ok well I want you all to follow Max out to the riding ring then and we'll go over a few things, Max, I want you in the front at all times," Nancy told instructed us.

I gave Midnight a kick in the sides and rode him out to the riding ring. Nancy had us go through walking and trotting, the basics for beginners. We did this for about five minutes and then Nancy tacked up her horse Moonbeam and took us for a trail ride. The trail was wide enough that we could find walk next to each other. Iggy, Fang and I were behind Gazzy, Ella and Nudge.

"Nancy's going to make an awesome teacher," Fang told me.

"Yeah, she will," I agreed.

"How long have you known her?" Iggy asked me.

"I met her when I bought Midnight last year," I answered him.

"How come you guys are close then?" Fang asked me. "I mean Dad bought a new car last year and he's not all buddy, buddy with the sales guy."

"Dad, Nancy and Mum were all friends in college until Mum and Dad divorced then they lost contact and she ran into Dad one day and they've stayed in contact," I explained.

"Oh ok," Iggy nodded.

"Gazzy, I haven't gotten any cheese for a while," I heard Nudge complain.

"I'll tell you what Nudge, I'll bring you cheese on Monday at school," Gazzy promised her.

"Gazzy, you must be spending a fortune on her," Ella laughed.

"I am," Gazzy confirmed.

"Yeah, but I'm worth it," Nudge said cheekily.

"What is it with that girl and cheese?" Fang whispered to me.

"No idea," I said with a shake of my head. Midnight spotted an empty paddock to our left and made a hopeful whinny.

"No we have to stay with the flock," I told him. He gave out a grunt of disapproval.

"Fine, just a quick run though," I caved in. "I'll be back in a bit," I told Iggy and Fang. I steered Midnight through the horses until we found a gate. We waited for a bit and then I gave him two sharp kicks to go into a trot and then two clicks of my tongue and two kicks to make him canter. We sat in a canter for a bit and then with three sharp kicks to his side we broke into a gallop.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Midnight and I didn't go for long or very far, he just wanted a quick run before we slowed back down and joined the others. I was panting and my legs were sore.

"Ok can we go back now?" I puffed.

"Yeah, Mum and Dad will be here soon," Fang agreed.

"Nancy, we're going to go back!" I called out to her and turned Midnight around. I was followed by Fang and Iggy. We sped into a trot but my legs couldn't take it so much to his disgust I made Midnight slow back down to a walk.

We finally reached the barn. I dismounted off of Midnight and led him to the water trough.

"Boys, bring the horses over here," I ordered them. I helped the boys tie the horses up and take off their saddles and stuff (can't be bothered listing it. With regrets I began to lead Midnight back to the trailer.

"Maxie!" I heard Angel squeal.

"Hi, Angel," I replied and picked her up into my arms, she wrapped her arms around me and then reached out to Midnight.

"Who's this?" Jane asked me.

"This is my horse Midnight," I told her. "Angel loves him." I added.

"She came home from her house excited about how she rode a horse and we didn't believe her but she obviously rode a horse," Paul said nervously.

"Oh, don't worry she was perfectly safe I had a hold of her the whole time and just went around in a circle in a slow walk," I assured them.

"We trust you Max," Jane told me. I didn't say anything I just replied with a smile.

"Hey, Mum, hey, Dad," Fang called out.

"Hi, Jane, hi, Paul," Iggy repeated.

"So you boys have been riding?" Jane asked.

"Max taught us at first," Iggy explained.

"Yeah actually Fang and I went for a long ride the other day." I told Jane and Paul.

"Nick, you never told us that," Paul said. I was shocked I had thought that Fang would've told his parents about that since I thought he had had fun.

"Um, I've got to um put Midnight in the trailer," I said quickly. I left in hurry and hid my face from Fang as I left.

"Max, wait up!" Fang called. I ignored him and kept walking. "Max," Fang said as he tapped my shoulder.

"What?" I asked him with a bit more aggression than I had intended.

"Are you ok?" He asked me.

"Why didn't you tell them?" I blurted out.

"That's what you're upset about?" Fang asked me.

"I just thought that you'd had fun and thought you woulda told them I taught you how to ride a bit or were you just ashamed that a girl that you make fun of taught you something?" I demanded.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Max, calm down, I don't have the kind of relationship with my parents that you do with yours, they had gone out together and what I did with my day I just thought I should keep it to myself. I mean don't get me wrong I love my parents and they're wonderful and I had one of the best times ever," Fang said to me.

"You're right I'm just being stupid," I admitted.

"Kinda," Fang agreed.

"You're not supposed to agree with me, you're supposed to say 'No, Max, you're not stupid," I told him.

"Sorry, Max," Fang said with a roll of his eyes.

The weeks rolled on and Fang and Iggy had turned twelve and soon term one had ended. Sam had been sticking to me like glue and I had to admit he could be a jerk to the rest of the flock especially Fang but he was really sweet around me. I began to think that Fang and Iggy were right about Sam which worried me. I didn't date which I'd mentioned to him just in case he got any ideas.

Lissa spoke to the whole lot of us quite cheerfully but paid special attention to Fang which irked me a little bit. When the holidays came so did Ari's third birthday and he finally got his new room that hid lights in the ceiling shaped like stars and was painted a baby blue.

The flock spent a lot of time together in the holidays. We hung out at all of our houses and went on walks. Nudge told me that she was practically over Gazzy and she could now say that he was inclined to like whoever he wanted to.

When term two resumed nothing had changed much, Sam still stuck to me like glue and blah, blah, blah you know the drill.

"Hey, Max, can I ask you something?" Sam asked me in the second week of school.

"Yeah sure," I answered him nervously.

"I heard that for year seven graduation the year sixes and sevens have to take ballroom dancing lessons or something," Sam began.

"Yeah, in term four," I confirmed. He looked around and saw Fang heading over to us.

"Well I know it's a long time away but I was wondering if you'd like to be my partner for the first lesson?" He asked me loudly enough so that Fang could hear him. I saw Fang stop dead in his tracks and turn to look at me.

"Well, um sure just as friends right?" I checked.

"Yeah, just as friends," Sam nodded.

"Well ok then," I agreed.

I immediately saw the look of surprise on Fang's face.

"Fang, can I talk to you?" Sam asked him. Fang nodded slowly and the two boys went off together. When Fang came back he didn't look all that happy.

"What was that all about?" I asked Fang.

"Nothing," He muttered.

"Fang?" I asked him cautiously.

"Max, please I don't want to talk about it," Fang begged me.

"Ok," I sighed and walked into class.

Fang tried not to meet my eyes for the rest of the day and eventually the rest of the flock noticed and called me over.

"Ok, Max, what's going on with you and Fang?" Iggy asked me.

"I don't know, he was fine until I agreed to go to footsteps with Sam," I shrugged.

"You did what!" They all exclaimed.

"What's the big deal?" I asked them.

"Max, you just fell into his trap!" Nudge gasped.

"Guys, it's no big deal and I don't see why that would bug Fang anyway." I pointed out.

"True," Gazzy agreed.

"Look, Sam asked to speak to Fang just after he asked me that's all I know," I finished before Ella and I had to get to the car.

"So what did Sam say to Fang?" Ella asked me that night.

"I don't know but it must have pissed Fang off," I noted.

"You know that Sam likes you right?" Ella checked with me.

"I really want to say no but I think he does," I sighed. It was flattering when a guy liked me since I'm not someone that gets liked very often since I'm not overly pretty. However it could be frustrating when the guy was like Sam and didn't seem to be getting the message. I didn't like Sam in that way at all even if I could date I wouldn't go out with him.

I looked for Fang the next morning and when I found him he seemed to be in at least a slightly better mood than he had been the day before.

"Hi," I said to him.

"Hey yourself," He replied playfully.

"You ok?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine so you're going with Sam, what's the big deal?" Fang shrugged.

"Fang, there's nothing with me and Sam he was just asking me as a friend," I sighed. He gave out a know it all snort. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing," He lied.

"Fang?" I asked.

"Not my place to say, Max, but you'll figure it out sooner or later but I'm just going to tell you to be careful I don't think Sam is the nicest guy in the world." Fang told me.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

I had no idea what Fang meant until the next two weeks that followed. Sam was definitely acting cockier around Fang like he'd triumphed something which he hadn't. Suddenly Sam was showing off around me but I still stuck to Fang. I noticed Fang's mood became dark after we came back from the weekend. He'd been to Ardrossan so I assumed that the dark look had something to do with boredom however when Sam came around if at all possible the look on Fangs face darkened.

Fang refused to speak to Sam at all and eventually I'd had enough.

"Alright, Fang, out with it!" I demanded.

"Huh?" Fang asked me.

"What is you're problem with Sam? He's a nice guy and he just happens to like me," I demanded again.

"If you knew what happened this weekend then you wouldn't be defending him!" Fang snapped.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I demanded. I noticed that our voices were getting louder and louder. "You were at Ardrossan not here," I pointed out.

"So was he!" Fang blurted out.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I demanded.

Fang paused for a second.

"Fang, just talk to me," I begged him.

"Fine, Max, you really wanna know then here when he asked you he took me away and said 'she's mine now'!" Fang began. I stared at him in shock.

"What?" I breathed.

"And this weekend I ran into him and he said some stuff," Fang continued vaguely. I gave him a look that said 'come on tell me'. "Alright fine, I said something to him and said 'shut up I could have Max in five seconds if I wanted her,' so you wanna tell me again what a nice guy he is?" Fang finished.

"Are you sure you heard him correctly?" I asked him, not able to believe that Sam thought that I was just a piece of meat.

"Yeah that's right, Max, believe golden boy over me!" Fang snapped and stormed off.

"Fang!" I called out.

"Forget it, Max!" Fang yelled and with that he was gone. I'd never seen Fang so angry or so hurt, I suppose that I deserve it for not taking his word for it but how could I?

Since the following day was Saturday I didn't hear from Fang at all I figured he was still really pissed at me. He normally calls or texts me on a Saturday and a Sunday but when it got to Sunday afternoon and I still hadn't heard from him I wanted to break down and cry.

I sat down on my bed when my phone started ringing.

"Hey, Ig," I said trying not to sob.

"Hey, Max, are you alright?" He asked me.

"Not really," I sighed.

"Say no more, meet me at the shops in ten minutes," Iggy said. I agreed and hung up. Mum said it was ok.

I met Iggy at the shops like I said I would because I'm loyal like that. We weren't at the big shopping centre but we went to the small café type thingy.

"Alright what's wrong?" He asked me.

"Fang," I mumbled.

"Should've guessed, what happened this time?" Iggy asked me.

"He told me something and he thinks I didn't believe him and he won't talk to me," I said quickly. I told him what Fang told me about Sam.

"Why wouldn't you believe him about that?" Iggy asked me.

"I don't think he'd lie but I just didn't think that Sam was like that I mean Sam asked me as a friend," I explained.

"Max, you're my friend and I care about you but you can be a huge idiot sometimes," Iggy sighed.

"Huh?"

"Max, Sam didn't care that you didn't date he thought he was so good you'd change your mind. Look the rest of the flock doesn't really like him and Gazzy has had to keep Nudge but he's always acting like he's better than everyone else," Iggy pointed out.

"Look, I don't care what you guys think about Sam he's been nice to me," I argued.

"Really? Nice as in treating like you're something to be owned or a trophy?" Iggy asked. "You're smarter than that, Max,"

Finally I gave in.

"Alright, I'll talk to Fang and Sam, I think if I make it clear to Sam that we're just friends…" I began.

"Then you'll finally see him for what he really is?" Iggy finished for me.

"Ok, I know Fang was just looking out for me but he didn't let me finish and refuses to talk to me," I sighed.

"Well I'll talk to him for you," Iggy offered. I had to get home so we said goodbye but as we turned to go our separate ways I stopped.

"Iggy," I called.

"Yeah," He responded.

"Thanks," I thanked him with tears welling in my eyes. He walked back over to me and looked at me.

"No problem," Iggy said and before I knew it his arms were wrapped around me in a hug. "I'll always be here for you, Max," Iggy promised me as I hugged him back.

I'd never hugged a guy before I'd always thought it was some huge thing since Mum always made a big deal about hugging guys but I found Iggy's hug comforting and brotherly.

"It'll be ok," He assured me. For a twelve year old boy he suddenly seemed so mature.

That night I tried to figure out some of my Maths sums when there was a knock on the door. I heard Mum answer it and someone enter the house.

"Hi," I heard Fang's voice say.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I turned to see him.

"Can I come in?" He asked me. I nodded and patted a spot on my bed.

"What's up?" I asked him.

"I spoke to Iggy," He began.

"Wait, let me just say this," I requested. "I'm sorry I didn't believe everything you said instantly. I never thought that you were lying I just found it hard to believe,"

"Max, it's fine, I know that Sam is a bit of a smooth talker around you and I know you don't like thinking badly of anyone," Fang said to me.

"Yeah, Fang, I know you don't like Sam and did he really say that… as in did he say it sweetly or in a she's mine and I'll whoop your arse if you don't back off way?" I asked him.

"The second one, just be careful oh yeah and he told me to stay away from you and there's no way that you'd ever look at me when you have him," Fang told me.

"Look, I'll deal with it but thanks and I'm sorry," I apologised again. "Friends?" I asked.

"Friends," Fang smiled (a proper smile). We looked at each other for a minute and I really wanted to hug him but once again I told my heart no.

"Um, yeah," I said and extended my hand. He shook it and we said goodbye after sitting in an awkward silence. I exhaled the breath I was holding in as he left my room.

The next day was Monday and I was going to go to Iggy's house with Fang and Iggy (duh) to work on our group projects that we were given. Gazzy and Nudge were working with Lissa which Fang thanked them for.

"Max, wait up!" Sam called out to me that day as school ended.

"What?" I demanded. I was slightly annoyed with him with how he thought he could treat me.

"How about we go and catch a bite to eat?" He asked me which didn't even sound like a question.

"Sam, I'm going to Iggy's house with Fang and Iggy for homework," I told him and I never thought I would be grateful for homework.

"But you always hang out with Fang," Sam pointed out.

"He's my friend," I sighed. "Look, Sam…"

"What does he have that I don't?" Sam asked me in a raised voice.

"What are you talking about, Sam? We're just friends same as me and Fang," I exhaled.

"Then why would you rather hang with him than me I mean he's nothing special," Sam scoffed. That did it no-one I repeat no-one picks on my friends especially Fang.

"Sam, there is nothing between us and there never has been I don't even know where you got that idea!" I snapped.

"Come on, Max, he's pathetic and you'd rather hang around him," Sam scoffed again.

"You know I think you should find somewhere else to hang out and a new partner because just so you know I'm not yours and I never was. I'm not a piece of meat!" I scoffed and walked off.

I joined Fang and Iggy who were waiting for me with their eyes open.

"I'm proud of you," Iggy told me.

"You heard?" I asked.

"Yeah," Fang said. "Not that I care what that douche thinks about me but thanks for having my back," Fang thanked me.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered. Fang and Iggy laughed and followed me.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

**Hey, sorry it's taken so long to get up. I've made major writers block plus I've been busy with school. So here it is and I hope you enjoy it.**

"So, Max, you're back to square one," Iggy said suddenly. We'd been at Iggy's most of the afternoon and the only thing that kept us going through our homework was well… me! These boys are so lazy and they need a lot of motivation. They always wanted to stop and talk about something stupid like video games and violent films.

"What do you mean?" I asked him curiously.

"You no longer have a date," Iggy pointed out.

"Um, Ig, first of all Sam wasn't my date he was my partner and second of all, it's no big deal it's like in term three or four," I pointed out.

"Aw, you don't have to be alone!" Iggy cried dramatically.

"I hate to break up the soap opera but, Max, can we please stop this, its five o'clock," Fang begged me.

"I don't know," I said doubtfully.

"Max, we've been at this for one and a half hours. If you don't let us stop I'm afraid I'll have to kick you out," Iggy threatened me.

"Fine," I grumbled.

"Let's watch a movie," Fang suggested.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Let's watch 'Transformers'," Iggy suggested.

"Um…" I began hesitantly.

"Max, live a little," Iggy encouraged me.

"I don't know," I mumbled quietly.

"Max," Fang said catching my attention. He gripped my shoulder and stared into my eyes. "Trust me," I stared into his dark, hypnotising eyes and nodded.

"Jeez, you need to do the whole 'Max, I love you, stare into my eyes and trust me' thing just to get her to watch a movie," Iggy scoffed.

"Who said anything about loving her?" Fang demanded.

"Oh, it was written in the stars, and you wanna try to tell me there's nothing going on? Or do you wanna tell Blushy, who's as red as a beetroot?" Iggy threw back with a smirk.

"Shut it, Iggy!" Fang and I sneered.

This thing with me and Fang was so weird. We were friends and yeah I used to have a crush on him but I was over it. So why was I still blushing, instead of throwing up at the thought of me and Fang?

We started watching the movie and I was evidently surprised, since it's not the kind of movie that I would normally watch. I was asking so many questions that eventually Iggy and Fang threatened to duct tape my mouth.

We were about halfway through the film (or so I guessed) when Iggy's Mum Claire walked in.

"Nick, are you staying for dinner, and would you like to stay the night?" Claire asked Fang.

"If it's not too much trouble," Fang accepted.

"None at all," Claire smiled. She picked up the home phone ready to call Jane. "What about you, Max?"

"What? Me?" I asked in shock.

"Yes. Would you like to stay the night?" Claire asked me slowly. I had no idea what to say. I had never slept over at a guy's house before, with guy's there. I looked over at Fang and Iggy who were sending me subtle nods.

"Um, I suppose I could ask my Mum," I shrugged.

"I'll do that if you'd like. What's you're home number?" Claire offered. I gave her the home number and turned my attention back to the movie.

"Max, are you alright?" Iggy asked me.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said bluntly.

"Don't tell me that you've never been to a sleepover before," Fang checked.

"Well of course I have, just not with boys. I didn't realise that it was something that people did," I explained.

"Do you live in a cave or something?" Iggy asked me and her received a punch from Iggy.

"Be nice," Fang growled.

"What, are you protecting your-?" Iggy began.

"Say girlfriend and I will kick your arse!" Fang growled.

"Whoa, whoa, guy's, break it up," I said as I tried to stop them from beating each other up but they took no notice of me.

"What? So now you're predicting that people are going to say girlfriend?" Iggy checked. "Or do you prefer her to be called Mrs. Ride?" Iggy checked.

"Whoa, we're divorced." I reminded Iggy.

"Don't bring Max into this," Fang warned Iggy.

"Dude! It's about Max!" Iggy exclaimed.

"Oh… right," Fang remember.

"Oi!" I exclaimed.

"What?" Fang and Iggy asked me.

"I'm still here! Let's get this straight, I'm not Fang's girlfriend, I'm his ex-wife and you two need to shut up and get over yourselves!" I told them firmly.

Claire walked back into the room and finally the boys sat down.

"Max, I just got off of the phone with you Mum and she said you could stay. I think some of Tia's things will fit you," said Claire.

"Thanks," I said. I was in shock that Mum had agreed to let me stay the night at Iggy's. I wonder if she thought that Iggy wasn't going to be there or something.

"Iggy, who's Tia?" I asked him after a bit.

"Oh, she's my big sister, she's in Melbourne studying to become a Vet," Iggy explained.

"Oh, ok," I nodded.

Once the movie had finished I had to admit that I was hooked on Transformers.

"The next movie is supposed to be coming out this year," Fang told me.

"We should go," I said. He looked at me in surprise.

"I mean with The Flock," I explained to him and he nodded.

"We should," Iggy agreed.

"Max, if you come with me I'll show you some of Tia's old things," Claire called out. I followed her into the room opposite of Iggy's. It was painted in a light purple and had oak furniture. She dug threw a drawer and pulled out some tracksuit pants and a shoe string top.

"I know that, girls can be a bit funny about being in their pyjamas around boys," Claire smiled.

"Thanks," I thanked her warmly.

"It's good to see Ian with such good friends,"

"Well he always had Nick," I reminded her.

"Oh, of course and please don't misunderstand me, I love Nick, he's like apart of the family. I simply meant that it's good that the two of them have expanded," Claire explained to me.

I left the tracksuit and top on the bed and rejoined Fang and Iggy in the lounge room. I gathered that Fang and Iggy's parents knew each other and were friends. It wasn't hard to understand why Jane and Claire were friends; they were both kind and gentle women with hearts made of gold. They welcomed pretty much anyone who came into their home with open arms. I had no idea how the two of them managed to raise two misfits who go by Fang and Iggy. I assumed that they must take after their fathers.

Fang and Iggy had a list of action packed movies that I just had to see and with that they introduced me to X-Men. I couldn't believe that I hadn't seen or even heard of some of these movies before. I was having fun with Fang and Iggy but I couldn't help wondering why Mum let me stay at Iggy's house.

"What's up, Max?" Iggy asked me, obviously noticing the expression of confusion on my face.

"I was just wondering why Mum agreed to let me stay here," I told him.

"Why don't you want to?" Iggy asked me.

"It's not that, it's just… well you know my Mum and how careful she is with me around boys. She's always telling me to be careful around Fang," I pointed out.

"I was wondering about that," Fang pitched in.

"I wouldn't think about it too much, Mum can be pretty convincing when she wants to be," Iggy told me.

"I just don't understand how a sweet woman like her could have possibly ended up with you," I said to Iggy that made Fang roll on the floor with laughter. Iggy's only response was to glare at me intensely.

"So, Fang, Max has gotten rid of Sam now we just need you to get rid of Lissa and then you and Max can live happily ever after." Iggy said as we were eating pizza.

"Why would I get rid of Lissa?" Fang demanded.

"So you and Max can live happily ever after, duh," Iggy repeated.

"First of all there is nothing going on with me and Lissa and she isn't in the way of Max and I being Max and I. Max and I aren't like that," Fang said in a way that made my heart ache. Did this mean that he liked Lissa?

"Dude, she likes ya. She's just a bit more subtle about it and besides you're so dense that you wouldn't see it anyway!" Iggy exclaimed.

"There's nothing to see," Fang insisted.

"Max, help me out here," Iggy begged me. Both boys turned to face me.

"Well, she does seem to have a bit of a thing for you, Fang, I don't know if she likes you or if she just likes to flirt," I replied.

"Ha!" Iggy teased him.

"But, Lissa isn't the reason that Fang and I aren't Fang and I," I added.

"Ha!" Fang exclaimed at Iggy.

"So, Max, you think she likes me then?" Fang asked me. I almost thought that he sounded hopeful.

"Why? Do you like her?" I demanded, probably a bit more aggressively than I intended.

"No! I was worried that she did after you're little speech. I mean she's nice and everything but just no," Fang corrected me.

"Ok then. Look, all I'm saying is keep a look out. I agree she's nice but I get the feeling that she can be really sneaky," I warned him.

I had no idea why I was even worried about Fang liking someone else. He was perfectly within his rights to like whoever he wanted to. It shouldn't affect me at all, but for some reason it was.

Claire and Iggy's Dad Kevin set up the two spare mattresses since Iggy volunteered to sleep on the couch. Fang had the mattress closest to Iggy and I had the one on the end. We stayed up talking for a while and then Fang and I could hear the subtle sounds of Iggy falling asleep.

"So what made you see the truth about Sam?" Fang asked me randomly.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"I mean the other day you said you didn't want to believe me and then this afternoon you told him to get lost," Fang reminded me. I felt a huge surge of guilt and sighed.

"Fang, I can't really explain it. I didn't want to think the worst and I'm not exactly the kind of girl that a guy falls for-" I began.

"Why would you say that?" Fang demanded.

"Don't worry about it," I sighed. "The point is, I spoke to Iggy and he made me realise," I explained.

"You spoke to Iggy?" Fang asked me with a frown.

"I knew you were mad at me and he knew that you were as well so he wanted to hang out and give me a lecture," I explained.

"Oh," Fang sighed.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Nothing," Fang said with a small smile.

"Fang, is everything ok?" I asked him slowly.

"Max, I'm just glad that you finally saw sense," Fang said and I decided that it was best to drop it. I stared into Fang's eyes for a moment and I could feel him staring back. It seemed like there was something he wanted to say but he didn't.

"Goodnight, Max," Fang said softly and rolled over.

"Goodnight, Fang, sweet dreams," I said and closed my eyes.

I couldn't help but notice how weird it was that Fang so desperately wanted me out of Sam's grasp. Maybe he was just protective of me and he was worried that Sam might hurt me. Either way I was too tired to worry about it.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

It was now week seven of term two and Fang was starting to get on my nerves. I couldn't really explain why, it just seemed like something was going on. Our teacher decided that we should start working on the school concert because she wanted to do something big. The theme this year was Hollywood. It was decided that we would be doing Grease. Not just one song but a kind of summary type thing.

When we figured out what we were doing we had to figure out who was going to play who. I kind of wanted to be Sandy but so did Nudge and I figured since I had the lead last year I would let her go for it because I'm just so nice like that. Lissa wasn't sure who she wanted to be and neither were the boys. Finally Gazzy was selected for Danny and Nudge was selected for Sandy. I thought it was so cute but almost felt sorry for Nudge. While she said that she was over Gazzy, I wasn't entirely sure that that was the case. Iggy got chosen for Kenickie which I thought suited him really well and for some strange reason I got chosen for Rizzo which meant that I was Iggy's love interest!

Fang was one of the T-birds but I didn't know who. Lissa got chosen for Frenchy which made her Fang's partner. She looked over the moon about this but for some reason I wasn't too thrilled about it. Seeing them together made me sick for some reason. I liked Lissa and all, I just didn't like the way she flirted with Fang because it was definitely flirting!

Iggy came up to me after school when I was walking with Fang and placed his arm around me.

"So, I guess you're my girl now!" He said cheekily. Fang's face turned dark and he grunted something weird.

"Ig, don't be an idiot," I scoffed and shoved his arm off. Fang refused to look at me or Iggy.

"Fang, what's your problem?" Iggy asked him.

"I'm fine," Fang growled quietly.

"Are you sure?" I asked him.

"Gees, Max, not everything has to be wrong all the time!" Fang snapped.

"Hey!" I exclaimed in horror.

"Fang, calm down, she's just concerned about you," Iggy told him.

"Sorry," Fang grumbled.

"It's ok," I assured him.

"Oh my god, Max, help me!" I heard Nudge yell from behind me.

"Whoa, Nudge, what's going on?" Iggy asked her.

"I need to talk to Max, you two shoo!" Nudge demanded.

"I'll see you in a minute, Max," Fang said as he and Iggy walked away.

"Yeah, ok," I agreed. "Nudge, what's wrong?"

"Max, what am I going to do?" Nudge asked.

"With what?" I asked her.

"I'm partnered with Gazzy," Nudge reminded me.

"I thought you were over him," I thought aloud.

"I thought so too and then I got paired as his love interest and while I'm over him I have to act like I'm not over him, which means that I have to remember when I wasn't over him and use that for when I'm acting but I'm scared he'll figure it out and then I'll have to convince both him and me that I'm just acting because I'm just that good so please help me!" Nudge raved on.

"Whoa, whoa slow down and relax. Do you want me to come over so we can talk?" I asked her.

"Yes please!" Nudge accepted gratefully.

"Alright, just let me tell the boys and Ella," I told her.

"I don't see why you have to run everything by the boys," Nudge grumbled.

"Because they're waiting for me," I reminded her.

"Oh, right," She remembered.

At Nudge's house that afternoon she had two mental breakdowns before I gave her cheese.

"Alright, now relax. It's really not that big a deal," I assured her.

"But, I kind of still like him a little bit," Nudge admitted.

"Huh?" I asked her.

"I don't know, I don't think I like him but I'm not sure, maybe I'm making a big deal out of nothing. He's like my guy best friend," Nudge said to me.

"Nudge, it's just acting, just relax and you'll be fine, be grateful you aren't with Iggy," I laughed.

"Yeah, how unfortunate for you," Nudge smirked.

"Are you going to be ok?" I asked her.

"Yeah I'll be ok, I just needed to get all of that crap out of my system," Nudge smiled. I gaped at her. "I know, I've been hanging around Fang and Iggy way too long, although Fang seems to have curbed his swearing lately," Nudge pointed out.

"So?" I asked her.

"I think that may have something to do with you," Nudge suggested.

"Maybe," I shrugged.

"What's going on with you and Fang anyways?" Nudge asked me.

"Nothing, well he's driving me nuts," I groaned and flopped onto Nudges bed. She pushed away my homework books and sat next to me.

"What's up?" She asked me. I sat up and looked at her.

"I have no idea. He's been acting weird since I yelled at Sam. He's acting like he's hiding something and he's just acting different and I've got this really weird feeling about it but I can't make heads or tails out of it," I sighed.

"Oh, well he's a boy for one and maybe it's just a phase. Have you tried talking to him about it?" Nudge asked me.

"All the time, you know how I am but he acts like I have no idea what I'm talking about then he changes the subject." I explained.

"Oh, well I don't know," Nudge sighed.

It went on like that for the rest of the week. Gazzy made jokes about being with Nudge and about me being with Iggy and Fang was more dark and brooding than usual. It was Friday when I thought that I might finally crack. I was already in a bad mood when I woke up and I really didn't want to deal with Fang and his moodiness.

"Hey, Max," Fang said when he saw me.

"Hi," I grumbled.

"Are you ok?" He asked me.

"Just peachy," I growled.

"What did I do?" He asked, he sounded slightly hurt but I was too fed up to feel guilty about it.

"Fang, seriously what's going on?" I demanded.

"Max, it's nothing," He sighed.

"Fine," I scoffed and walked into class where I didn't talk to him until recess. I sat between Iggy and Gazzy and did my best to avoid Fang.

"Max, is everything alright?" Gazzy asked me.

"Fine," I muttered. At that response he turned to Nudge.

"Fang's getting on her nerves," Nudge whispered to Gazzy.

"Ah," He responded and got on with his work. He'd been my friend long enough to know that if I was mad at Fang to mainly just stay out of it or risk getting his head chopped off.

At recess I tried to quickly get away but Fang found me.

"Max, please talk to me," He begged me.

"Fine," I sighed and turned around.

"What's going on?" He asked me.

"That's what I'd like to know!" I demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Fang asked me.

"What are you hiding from me?" I asked him desperately.

"What makes you think I'm hiding anything from you?" Fang asked me. Before I could stop myself I answered him. "The look in your eyes,"

"Max," Fang sighed.

"I just feel like there's something going on with you that I should know but don't." I sighed.

"It's nothing," Fang said to me.

"Stop lying to me! I know you and I can't shake this feeling!" I snapped and turned away.

Ella came up to me at lunch to ask what was going on.

"I honestly don't know. I'm just a tad pissed at Fang who's being a total pain the arse," I growled.

"You do realise that you're sounding like him," Ella pointed out.

"Don't. I'm not in the mood, El," I requested.

"He's really bugged ya," Ella guessed.

"I'll figure it out," I assured her. I avoided Fang in class but whenever I snuck a look I could tell that he was trying to figure something out and whatever it was seemed to be tearing him up.

After school he walked up to me.

"Max," He began.

"Leave me alone!" I snapped and stormed off to the car. I waited against it. Mum wasn't in there since she was paying for one of Ella's upcoming excursions. I saw Fang slowly walking towards me when Ella walked up. He took one look at Ella and went the other way.

"Still not talking to him?" Ella asked.

"I just need my space before I tell him to shove it," I told her.

I couldn't focus on my homework that night. In fact whenever Fang and I were disagreeing I couldn't concentrate. I heard my phone ringing from my room and ran to get it but by the time I got there I was too late. I checked it and saw that the missed call was from Fang. I so desperately wanted to talk to him to straighten this whole thing out. I took a deep breath and opened up a text message.

**MAX: IM SORRY!**

I sent it to him without a second thought and it wasn't long before my phone began to ring again.

"Fang, I'm so sorry," I apologised.

"No, Max, I deserved it," Fang said to me.

"I'm really sorry but I can't shake the feeling that you aren't telling me something important," I sighed. I sat down on my bed and lied back slowly.

"Well I do have one secret but if I tell you then you can't tell anyone else," Fang admitted.

"I promise… cross my heart and hope to die," I promised him.

"Alright, here goes," I heard Fang take a deep breath. "I… I… I… I… I… I can't figure out how to say it," Fang sighed. I was beside myself with anticipation but this obviously bugged him.

"If you don't want to tell me then you don't have to," I assured him.

"No, I want you to know," Fang insisted.

"Alright," I said to him and waited for him to continue.

"I… I… I… I… have…. a… crush… on… you,"

**Whooooooo alright let me know what ya'll think (I'm not American I just like saying that)**


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

**Ok so in the previous chapter Fang told Max how he feels yay!**

I sat up in my bed in shock. Did I just hear that right? Did Fang just say that he had a crush on me? Did I believe it? Why wasn't I freaking out? Why wasn't I saying anything? What was I supposed to say?

"I… don't know what to say," I finally managed to get out.

"I've had it for a while. I just didn't know how to say it. I didn't want to screw up my friendship with you." Fang spoke slowly.

"It won't screw it up, that's a promise. What made you tell me?" I asked him.

"I felt guilty when you said that you knew I was hiding something and I kept lying to you. I just couldn't go any longer with you not knowing," Fang sighed.

"It's ok," I told him honestly.

"Phew," I so badly wanted to tell him how I used to feel about him but I didn't want to give him false hope or hurt him. "I'm not expecting anything to come of this. I just wanted you to know. I've liked you since year six but if people at school found out they would never let it go," It seemed like everything was jut pouring out of him.

"There's something I want you to know," I told him.

"What?" He asked me.

"I should've told you sooner and I don't know why I'm so desperate to tell you know but you're my best friend. You're the best friend I've ever had," I admitted.

"You're my best friend too," Fang told me and I felt like I was glowing with warmth.

"Wait, is this why you were acting so weird with Sam?" I asked him suddenly.

"Yeah, I was a little jealous that he asked and that you said yes," Fang admitted.

"Oh my god, I just realised all of the awkward positions I must have put you in last year and this year," I gasped.

"It's alright, you didn't know. Look I know you don't date and all that I just thought you deserved to know," Fang continued.

"Thanks it means a lot to me," I smiled even though he couldn't see it I was pretty sure he could hear the smile in my voice.

I couldn't explain the fluttery feeling in my stomach, shouldn't I be freaking out and why did I want this conversation to continue forever? I had heard him loud and clear, I was just having trouble believing it. Fang liked me, not Lissa, me. My head just kept spinning over those words 'I have a crush on you.' I felt like I was floating on a cloud and just put it down to flattery.

As I spoke to Fang I remembered that I would have to guard this secret with my life, I had promised him and while Mum would kill me if she ever found out I'd hid it from her I owed him. Talking about his feelings isn't easy for Fang and yet he had managed to summon up the courage to tell me how he really felt about me.

Much to my disappointment after talking to me for an hour Fang had to go. I reluctantly hung up and put my phone down with a sigh. I felt closer to Fang for some reason. I ended up putting down my weird feelings to flattery. I so badly wanted to tell him how I used to feel but that would just confuse everything. Whenever I thought about Fang a huge grin formed from my lips. I don't know why I was so happy to have him feel that way since I didn't like him like that anymore and even if I did we could never be together.

It was my weekend with Dad and this time Ella was coming with me. Dad called me almost right after Fang did to ask if Ella and I wanted to have Nudge over for Saturday which Nudge accepted enthusiastically. I loved my Dad and I loved how he made an effort to get to know my friends and to make them feel welcome.

Ella and I spent a lot of time with Nancy and Dad on Friday night and I began to wonder if there was anything going on between the two of them. I love Nancy and I love my Dad but the thought of them together made me ache. I decided to try and leave subtly with Nancy to give Ella and Dad some time alone.

"Nancy, can you quickly help me with my posture in a canter on Midnight, I'm having trouble with it?" I asked her.

"Sure, Max," Nancy agreed.

We left the room and Nancy stopped me.

"What's going on, Max?"

"Huh?" I asked her.

"I know that you don't need help on your canter," Nancy said to me.

"Fine, I just wanted to give Ella and Dad some space, I know he's been trying to get to know her better," I admitted.

"You wanna go for a ride?" Nancy asked me.

"Yeah sure," I agreed and we headed out to the stables.

"So hows the riding school coming along?" I asked her.

"It's coming along well, I just need to find the staff and I'll be all set to open in the spring," Nancy told me.

"What about the horses?" I asked her.

"I all had that planned I just needed to figure out the barn before I got them in," Nancy explained.

"So how's the staff thing going?" I asked her.

"Fine, I suppose," Nancy shrugged and she placed the saddle on Dad's horse.

"Hired anyone yet?" I asked eagerly.

"Why all the questions?" Nancy laughed.

"Just curious, I'm in a talkative mood," I smiled as I mounted onto Midnight.

"Well I've seen a few people that look good but the problem is I don't know how many people I'll need. I'm only starting off small," Nancy sighed. "I know I'll definitely need one extra person but I'm really specific on who I want to hire. I want to be really close to the person that I choose," Nancy explained.

We reached the gate that blocked off the main back yard and the more forest like trail type thingy. I had travelled on the trail on the left with Fang. That trail was the open one that led to the lake next door. Nancy decided she wanted to take left trail since she didn't want to risk it getting dark whilst we were out.

"So how's Fang? She asked me after a while. I had to use all my strength into not blushing.

"He's good," I nodded.

"Ella said something about you being mad at him," Nancy told me.

"Oh that, just a little disagreement, it's all sorted now," I explained.

"Good, because I like that kid," Nancy smiled. I could really connect to Nancy and I desperately wanted to tell her all about how Fang really felt about me.

"Nancy, is there room for volunteers at you're school?" I asked her hopefully.

"I suppose I could make room for you if you want to help take care of the horses," Nancy smiled at me.

When Nancy and I got back Ella and Dad were playing a game of Scrabble so we grabbed something to drink.

"This is really good of your Dad," Nancy whispered to me.

"I know," I agreed.

"I suppose Ella's never had a fatherly figure before," Nancy realised.

"No, I don't think she has, Mum never got into a serious relationship after Dad." I realised. Before Nancy could say anything more Ari came running down the hall and almost tripped me up.

"Oh, look who's up from their nap," I said to him.

"Maxie, I rode Midnight yesterday," He told me. I looked up at Nancy automatically assuming that she would know.

"Your Dad took him in a circle," Nancy laughed.

"I was still on the horse!" Ari insisted with a scowl.

The five of us sat down together and watched a movie… well they watched a movie, my mind was on Fang and those six words that he had said to me only a few hours ago. I started freaking out, I had no idea how I was going to act with him at school on Monday and I couldn't even ask for advice.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while I've had writers block and I've been busy with some stuff.**

When Nudge got to my Dad's house on Saturday I wanted to run down to meet her and yell 'Fang has a crush on me!' but I didn't. Instead I snuck down my secret stairs that still hadn't told anyone about. They were my secret in this house and mine alone. I appeared behind her and Ella and they both jumped when I spoke.

"Hi," I said cheerfully.

"Oh my god, Max, you appeared out of nowhere and it's like you weren't there and then you were. There was no warning it was just like poof. It was like you were magic, but magic doesn't exist." Nudge, well I don't quite know how to describe how she said it.

"No magic?" I heard Ari cry. I shot a quick glare at Nudge.

"Oh no, Ari, I meant with Max at this moment, but there is magic," Nudge assured Ari. He nodded and ran away.

"Thanks," I thanked her.

"Eh, I forgot that with little kids they still believe in everything," Nudge shrugged.

We walked her upstairs to where we'd be staying. We were staying in the top lounge room that was set up with stuff. I suppose it was more of the slumber party room.

"Nudge, do you really not believe in magic?" Ella asked her. Nudge just shrugged.

"I just don't think that there's such thing as magic, I mean I believe in love and stuff just not magic," Nudge explained.

"Fair enough," Ella and I agreed.

"Do you realise that we've never had just the girls of the flock before?" I realised.

"Wow, we never have. We can talk about embarrassing things!" Nudge squealed with joy.

"Well Ari's here," I reminded her.

"Max, he's like three he won't know what we're talking about," Nudge pointed out.

"I know that, but he can repeat words and I don't want him running off to Dad," I warned her.

"Ok, ok," Nudge sighed. "Seriously, where did you come from before because you do that all the time?" Nudge asked me after a minute. There was no way I was telling anyone about my secret staircases, nu-uh.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Nudge," I shrugged.

"Yes you do!" Nudge insisted.

"Ah, I thought I heard you, Nudge," Dad called out and I mentally thanked him. I wasn't the worlds' best liar, which reminded me that I was supposed to be freaking out on how I could keep Fang's secret… a secret. I had no idea why I was so desperate to keep his secret a secret, maybe it was because I could hear the sheer desperation in his voice when he asked me to keep it.

"Max, Earth to Max!" Nudge called. I immediately stopped thinking about Fang and got back into reality.

"Hmm?" I asked.

"Your Dad just asked what you wanted to do today," Nudge explained.

"Oh um do you want to go bowling or something?" I asked vaguely.

"Yes! Jeb, how many games can we have?" Ella asked.

"Well it is Saturday so they have the as many games as you want for two hours," Dad shrugged.

"Cool, so can we go because you know what they say, there's no time like the present? Although I don't quite understand that, because sometimes you need more time to figure things out or things can become disastrous and then sometimes you can't undo them and you really wish you could and-" Nudge rambled.

"Nudge!" Ella and I screamed.

"Nudge, it's just bowling. I doubt that anything disastrous will happen," I assured her.

"You're right, I just need to breathe," Nudge said as she begun to relax.

"Yes, Nudge, breathe," Ella soothed her. A huge smile broke out across my face, maybe this was exactly what I needed, a day with my girls… and Dad and Ari.

When we got to bowling we convinced Dad that he should play as well so the five of us were playing. Ari was so cute, as he used the ramp to push the ball down REALLY slowly.

"So, Max, are you and Fang ok?" Nudge asked me.

"You had a problem with Fang?" Dad asked me.

"Dad," I groaned and I rubbed my forehead.

"Oh, I'm not even here." Dad corrected himself. "Come on, Ari, let's go and get some food," Dad said to Ari.

"But, it was just getting good," Ari whined.

Nudge watched while Dad and Ari got out of earshot.

"So?" Nudge asked.

"He and I are fine," I told her. I was secretly worrying how school would be like on Monday but I wasn't going to tell Nudge and Ella that.

"Just like that?" Nudge asked. I could tell that she didn't think that I was telling the whole story (Which I wasn't)

"He called me last night and we made up," I told her vaguely. I didn't want to give anything away.

"What did he say to make it up to you because you were pretty mad?" Nudge asked. I wouldn't tell, I wouldn't tell.

"That he was sorry," I shrugged.

"That's it! He was driving you nuts and you accept an 'I'm sorry' I think you deserve and explanation!" Nudge exploded.

"Whoa, whoa, Nudge, it was enough trust me," I insisted.

"Fine, but I think you let him off too easily." Nudge mumbled.

"Ok, how about we stop the soap opera and get on with the game of bowling because Jeb is coming back and you two are driving me insane," Ella requested.

In the end Dad won most of the games and I came close second. Ari didn't do too badly for a three year old so I told him that in a few years he'd be dynamite, which proved to be a big mistake because he ran around yelling 'boom, boom.'

We finally arrived back home but Dad stopped me from following Ella and Nudge up the stairs.

"Max, are you and Fang ok?" Dad asked me.

"Dad, he and I are fine," I promised.

"But you weren't" Dad guessed.

"Dad, we had a bit of a disagreement, friends do that from time to time," I pointed out.

"But it's all fixed," Dad checked.

"Yes, you don't need to run off and save the world," I rolled my eyes that matched my sarcastic tone.

"Good," Dad nodded.

"Now can I please go upstairs?" I asked him.

"Go on," Dad laughed as he hugged me. "But can you take your brother with you; I've got some paperwork I need to do?" Dad pleaded.

"Sure, come on, Ari," I agreed. I grabbed Ari's hand and led him up the stairs with me.

"No, Ella, ice-cream is not better than cheese!" I heard Nudge scream.

"Yes it is!" Ella insisted. I walked down the hallway and too the second left and opened the sliding doors that led into the sleepover room.

"Cheese is so much better!"

"No it isn't!"

"Yes it is!"

"No it isn't!"

"Yes it is!"

"Whoa, whoa, you guys are starting to sound like me and Fang," I told them as I tried to suppress my laughter.

"What!" The both squealed in horror.

"Ari's, going to hang with us for a while," I informed them.

"Ok he can be the deciding vote," Nudge smirked.

"No! He can not!" I glared at her. "You two are not getting my little brother involved in your little dairy argument!" I told them firmly.

"It's not a little dairy argument!" They both exclaimed in horror.

"It's a sheer matter of life and death!" Nudge cried.

"Yeah um ok," I said bluntly.

"You just don't understand!" Ella cried.

"Uh-huh, well Ari and I are going to watch a movie so feel free to join us when you're not arguing over things that come from cows," I told them and walked out with Ari.

"They're so weird," I told Ari in a whisper.

"Yeah, weird," He agreed with me.

"What movie do you want to watch?" I asked him.

"I don't know," He shrugged.

"Well can you figure it out otherwise I'm going to put on a girly movie and you really won't like that," I grinned as I squatted down so he could look directly at me. He looked at me as if I was brussel sprouts and I couldn't help but laugh.

He didn't end up choosing so I kept true to my word and put in an age appropriate chickish flick. I put in 'Anastasia' the movie about the last Russian Duchess. If you want to know look up the movie and watch it. Ari didn't mind it in fact he liked the evil parts with Rasputin and with his little bat Bartok. Nudge and Ella joined us soon after the movie started so I had to rewind it. Ari complained because then he had to watch it twice. I had a feeling Angel might enjoy that film so I made a silent deal to show it to her one day.

We spent the night talking and the room was lit up with soft colour changing lights and the giant blue lava lamp. It felt good to have my girls around me and I went to sleep with a smile on my face.


End file.
